Gwangjuho Lake Ecological Park Greatly Expanded... Approved by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Review

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 14th that the ‘2021 Gwangju Area Greenbelt Management Plan Amendment (Draft)’ applied to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2017 to create a lawn plaza and picnic area around Gwangjuho in Deokui-dong, Buk-gu, has passed the review of the Central Urban Planning Committee.

The first phase of the previously established Gwangjuho Lake Ecological Garden project covers 190,000㎡ and includes landscaping facilities (lawn plaza, flower garden), convenience facilities (parking lot, observatory), and walking path gathering plazas.

While the estimated number of visitors in 2010 was 62,000, the actual number of visitors increased 4.1 times to 254,000, and as of the end of last year, the number of visitors increased 5.7 times to 353,000, prompting Gwangju City to consider expanding the second phase of the project.

The second phase expansion project of Gwangjuho Lake Ecological Garden plans to create landscaping facilities such as Gujeolcho Garden, Traditional Garden, Muui Natural Forest, Osaek Garden, Mudeungsan Vegetation Garden, and Lake Garden; plazas such as Narcissus Plaza and Dongdaemun Plaza; convenience facilities including parking lots, observatories, management offices, restrooms, and pavilions; and walking paths on a 194,376㎡ site from this year until 2024.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop actively persuaded the Central Urban Planning Committee evaluation members who visited the site on April 28 about the necessity of the Gwangjuho Lake Ecological Garden expansion project and the need to provide recreational spaces to residents who suffer various inconveniences such as restrictions on property rights due to the designation of the greenbelt.

Gwangju City plans to offer the Lake Ecological Garden as a suburban recreational space and utilize it as a place for ecological exploration experiences and nature education by leveraging the beautiful natural scenery. Additionally, it plans to link Mudeungsan National Park with historical and cultural resources (Hwanbyeokdang, Sikyeongjeong, Soswaewon, Gasamunhakgwan) and ecological resources (Chunghyo-dong King Willow, Lake Ecological Garden) to utilize them as tourism resources reflecting regional characteristics and local identity.

Meanwhile, the ‘Gwangjuho Surrounding Nuri-gil Creation Project,’ promoted as a resident support project for the greenbelt in 2020, will also be carried out simultaneously to create a specialized Nuri-gil trail and enhance synergy effects.

Kim Nam-gyun, Director of the City Planning Division, said, “We will actively support the establishment and implementation of the project plan so that it becomes a space representing Gwangju and a tourism resource where all citizens can heal.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.