'Healing and Play·Emotional Park' Creation...Master Plan Completed for 5.4km Section of Anyangcheon as a Landmark

[Seoul District News] Yangcheon-gu Creates Anyangcheon Garden Forest Path Combining Healing, Play, and Emotion to Complete Garden City... Gangdong-gu Office Opens 'Light Playground' Next to Open Yard... Guro-gu Recruits Residents for Practical Training Including Honey Harvesting at Gung-dong Beekeeping Experience Center... Yongsan-gu Promotes Transparent PET Bottle Volume-Based Waste Bag Exchange Project... Dongdaemun-gu Provides Visiting Childcare Services for Dual-Income Families and Others with Childcare Gaps... Gangseo-gu 2022 Village Community Integrated Contest

Anyangcheon Park Map

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) has established the ‘Basic Plan for the Beautification of Anyangcheon’ to create a garden forest trail along Anyangcheon.

In May last year, eight local governments sharing Anyangcheon, including Yangcheon-gu, signed the ‘Anyangcheon Beautification and Advancement Agreement’ to designate Anyangcheon as a national garden.

Accordingly, Yangcheon-gu officially began formulating the ‘Basic Plan for the Beautification of Anyangcheon’ applicable to a 5.4km section within the district from August last year and finalized the plan in February this year.

The district set the goal of ‘innovation and integration’ in this plan, organizing Anyangcheon into six thematic spaces to create a ‘green infrastructure, leisure space, and community hub garden forest trail along Anyangcheon.’

In particular, reflecting the reality that Anyangcheon has become the best quarantine rest area and healing space for residents amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, accessibility to Anyangcheon has been enhanced by connecting major local spaces such as the park above Gukhoe-daero.

The Anyangcheon beautification project targets the left bank of Anyangcheon from Ogeumgyo to Yanghwagyo, covering 5.4km (350,000㎡), divided into six thematic spaces: ▲Tree Garden (Guro-gu boundary to Ogeumgyo section) ▲Sports Garden (Ogeumgyo to Sinjeonggyo section) ▲Family Garden (Sinjeonggyo to Omokgyo section) ▲Ecological Garden (Omokgyo to Mokdonggyo section) ▲Vitality Garden (Mokdonggyo to Yangpyeonggyo section) ▲Health Garden (Yangpyeonggyo to Yanghwagyo section). Over the next 10 years, 35.7 billion KRW (including national, city, and district funds) will be invested to implement the project in phases.

First, the ‘Tree Garden’ will be developed as a place for ecological learning and nature experiences in connection with corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects. Additionally, since this area has the lowest accessibility due to the lack of an entrance, a pedestrian overpass connecting Galsan and Anyangcheon will be installed to improve access convenience.

The ‘Sports Garden’ will be reorganized into a dynamic sports space by installing new facilities such as an inline skating rink, X-GAME area, and tennis courts.

The ‘Family Garden’ is planned as a themed space for the whole family to enjoy, including the ‘Miracle Playground,’ ‘Rose Garden,’ and ‘Sand Beach’ overlooking the water. The district will invest 1 billion KRW to complete construction within this year.

The ‘Vitality Garden’ will feature a themed flower garden and lawn yard, planning programs that harmonize with sports spaces, and provide various activity areas such as a water play area and green lounge. Notably, under Mokdonggyo, an ‘MZ Sports Plaza’ will be established where the MZ generation can enjoy diverse culture and arts, transforming it into a distinctive and vibrant cultural space.

Furthermore, the ‘Anyangcheon Ecological Garden’ will include ecological wetlands and bird observation decks to improve migratory bird habitats and offer diverse ecological experiences. The ‘Anyangcheon Health Garden’ will add ecological education spaces such as a smart farm experience center and waterside school garden to existing park golf and woodball courses, enabling school-linked program operations. Each section will present a diverse Anyangcheon with unique themes and stories.

Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, said, “Through this Basic Plan for the Beautification of Anyangcheon, we aim to prepare for a new leap forward to transform Anyangcheon into a green space filled with healing, play, and emotion.” He added, “We will carry out the project without delay so that all residents can enjoy a vibrant daily life in a nearby garden.”

Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jung-hoon) announced that from the 15th to the 27th, it will install the media installation art ‘Light Playground’ next to the ‘District Office Pavilion’ in the open yard of the district office, creating a cultural and artistic space.

The ‘Light Playground’ next to the ‘District Office Pavilion’ is based on a pavilion structure, prepared to provide children with imagination and joy, and adults with healing time.

The pavilion structure, additionally installed alongside the existing 5-meter-high media wall, includes 12 hammock-like swings and curtains, allowing visitors to experience aesthetic elements of stability and purity.

The media wall, which forms the basis of the pavilion structure, continuously screens interactive videos that stimulate children’s imagination and play. Additionally, media works created by local high school students and world-renowned classical performances will be held in the open yard.

In the evening, all pavilion structures become pillars of light. The harmony of the pavilion’s structure, swings, videos, and light provides visual and recreational attractions both day and night, offering residents special opportunities and experiences.

The exhibition will be conducted safely in strict compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines, and all performances are free to watch.

Lee Jung-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, “We hope the creation of the ‘Light Playground’ next to the district office will provide healing time for residents exhausted by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.” He added, “The district will continue to do its best to expand cultural and artistic opportunities and revitalize local culture.”

For more details, visit the Gangdong-gu Office website or contact the Gangdong-gu Office Cultural Arts Division.

Guro-gu (Mayor Lee Sung) is recruiting residents to participate in practical training such as honey harvesting at the Gung-dong Beekeeping Experience Center (62 Gung-dong).

The district announced on the 14th, “We operate the beekeeping experience center to provide opportunities for healthy leisure and urban agriculture job creation.”

The application target is 30 local residents and workers. Those interested can apply on the district office website from the 21st to the 25th. The tuition fee is 100,000 KRW, and each student will have ownership of one beehive during the training period. After the training ends, the beehives will belong to Guro-gu.

Guro-gu will individually notify selected applicants on the 30th.

Students can choose one class between the weekday class (Thursday and Friday) and the weekend class (Saturday) from April 7 to July 2 to participate in the training.

The training includes theoretical lessons on urban beekeeping, understanding honeybees, use of beekeeping tools, meaning and methods of honey harvesting, and practical lessons on harvesting bee products (pollen, royal jelly, propolis), seasonal beekeeping management, pest and disease prevention, and swarm control.

A beekeeping expert instructor will conduct 12 sessions, and students who attend more than 70% of the classes will receive a certificate of completion.

A Guro-gu official said, “This beekeeping education will provide residents with opportunities to experience nature in the city and will be practically helpful for prospective returnees to farming and beginners in urban beekeeping.”

Meanwhile, Guro-gu established the Gung-dong Beekeeping Experience Center last year, installing 30 beehives. The harvested honey, totaling 10 mal (approx. 180 liters), was bottled into 170 bottles (1.2kg each) and delivered to neighbors in need through the Guro Food Bank Market. Beekeeping experiences and education were also conducted for residents from May to November.

Yongsan-gu (Mayor Sung Chang-hyun) will launch the ‘Exchange Program for Transparent PET Bottle Volume-based Waste Bags (10ℓ)’ starting on the 24th.

This aims to increase the recycling rate of high-quality PET bottles by informing residents in single-family housing areas about the Thursday separate collection system for transparent PET bottles.

From the 24th, residents who bring washed transparent PET bottles without labels to the community service centers will receive one volume-based waste bag (10ℓ) per 30 bottles exchanged. Exchanges are possible every Thursday. To encourage broad participation, the exchange quantity is limited to a maximum of 60 bottles (2 waste bags) per person per visit.

The district delivered 1,000 volume-based waste bags to each of the 16 community service centers to promote the exchange program, which will continue until the bags run out.

An official said, “In January, label removers for transparent PET bottles were distributed to each neighborhood,” adding, “We hope the separate collection of transparent PET bottles, collected separately from general plastics, will be established as soon as possible.”

Transparent PET bottles disposed of on Thursdays will be collected by the district on Friday mornings and transported to the Yongsan-gu Recycling Sorting Center. When about 500kg of PET bottles accumulate, they are compressed and sold.

Sung Chang-hyun, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, “The Ministry of Environment mandated separate disposal of transparent PET bottles in single-family housing areas at the end of last year,” adding, “If the Thursday PET bottle disposal system takes root in the community, the recycling sorting rate will greatly improve.”

Since April 2020, the district has installed dedicated collection bins for colorless PET bottles at 53 recycling stations (recycling separation bins in single-family housing areas) and has continued to promote and monitor separate disposal.

Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) provides a visiting ‘Childcare Service’ where caregivers visit homes experiencing childcare gaps due to dual-income families, single-parent families (including grandparent-headed families), parents with disabilities, and families with multiple children.

The childcare service operates as a full-day service for infants aged 3 months to 36 months and a time-based service for children aged 3 months to 12 years.

The full-day service offers general childcare such as baby food and hygiene management within 60 to 200 hours per month (minimum 3 hours per session, additional time in 30-minute increments). The time-based service supports activities such as drop-off and pick-up at childcare facilities, play activities, and temporary care within 840 hours annually (minimum 2 hours per session, additional time in 30-minute increments).

The basic hourly rate for the childcare service is 10,550 KRW, and government support covers 15% to 85% of the usage fee depending on household income.

Households exceeding the income criteria can use the service by paying the full fee themselves.

Especially, from March 2, a special childcare service is provided for a certain period to alleviate childcare burdens caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and minimize care gaps, with government support covering 40% to 90% of the usage fee and exemption from the 840-hour annual limit for the time-based service.

Applications can be made at the local community service center or through the Bokjiro website. Detailed information is available on the Childcare Service website.

Childcare providers performing the ‘Childcare Service’ are healthy individuals who have completed separate training and field practice, registered as caregivers, and receive regular continuing education annually.

In 2021, 2,353 households in Dongdaemun-gu used the childcare service, supporting 3,766 children, with an average of over 300 children using the service monthly.

Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, “We hope many families can raise their children safely and healthily without worrying about care gaps through the childcare service,” adding, “We will continue to do our best to support creating a city where work and family life coexist while raising children.”

Can three people come together to change our village?

Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Roh Hyun-song) announced that it will promote the ‘2022 Integrated Village Community Contest Project’ to create livable village communities led by residents.

The project aims to practice public interest through community activities and build social care infrastructure within the village through care and sharing activities to solve social problems deepened by COVID-19.

This year, the project will avoid simple social gatherings or one-sided, beneficiary-focused welfare projects and actively discover projects with high potential for public interest realization and social problem-solving.

The contest project is broadly divided into ‘Public Interest Value Projects,’ ‘Social Problem-Solving Projects,’ and ‘Village Care Projects,’ supporting a total of 30 projects with 85 million KRW.

First, the Public Interest Value Projects support groups conducting various activities to practice zero waste by minimizing garbage disposal close to zero, providing up to 5 million KRW per group.

Social Problem-Solving Projects support 12 groups with up to 2.5 million KRW per group for projects with free themes such as climate crisis response and social problem-solving highlighted by COVID-19, with high public interest potential.

Village Care Projects are divided into three types: village care for neighbors such as children and the elderly, village sharing activities like meal provision or side dish sharing for vulnerable groups, and village management projects involving housing and environmental improvements and village life management for vulnerable groups.

Village care and village sharing support up to 3 million KRW for 10 and 5 groups respectively, and village management supports up to 2.5 million KRW for 2 groups. However, at least 5% of the subsidy amount must be separately budgeted as self-funded.

The district will hold preliminary education for residents unfamiliar with village care projects at Gomdallae Cultural Welfare Center on March 15 and 18 from 2 PM. Participants can attend only one session on a specified date.

This contest project is open to resident groups or organizations with three or more members based in Gangseo-gu, and foreigners with foreign registration cards can also participate.

Groups or organizations wishing to participate can apply through the Seoul Village Community Comprehensive Support Center website by 6 PM on March 24. However, to apply, they must participate in preliminary consultations held from March 15 to March 24.

The district will announce the selection results in April after proposer participation evaluation, judging by the review committee, and final deliberation by the Village Community Committee.

An official said, “This year’s contest project focuses on realizing public interest values to expand resident participation and project sustainability,” adding, “We hope many people will participate to create a better village to live with neighbors.”

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