Guro-gu 'Cheonwangsan Chaekswimteo' Opening Ceremony

[Seoul District News] Guro-gu Hang-dong 149, 290.43㎡ Cafe and Nursing Room Family Camping Site, Ecological Park, Artificial Rock Climbing Wall, Smart Farm Center in Nature Complex Cultural Space... Jung-gu Comprehensive Traffic Safety Facility Maintenance in Child Protection Zone... Mapo-gu Supports Local Workshops with 1 Million KRW Funding

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] “Cheonwangsan Book Shelter, read books while listening to birdsong!”

Guro-gu (Mayor Lee Seong) is opening the ‘Cheonwangsan Book Shelter.’

On the 23rd, Guro-gu announced, “To allow many residents to read books and relax in nature, we have prepared and are operating a book shelter around Cheonwangsan.”

The ‘Cheonwangsan Book Shelter’ was built on Hang-dong 149, with one above-ground floor and a total floor area of 290.43㎡.

The book shelter is stocked with about 3,000 books and equipped with 33 reading seats and a floor-style reading space. To ensure many residents can rest comfortably, not only reading spaces but also a caf? and nursing room were provided.

Operating hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, excluding Mondays.

Depending on the COVID-19 situation, programs themed on nature and books, exhibitions, performances, and other cultural events will also be held.

The name of the book shelter was selected through a contest held last November for residents and district office employees. A total of 145 people participated in the contest, including 66 residents and 79 employees. After an employee preference survey, one grand prize, one excellence prize, and three encouragement prizes were finalized.

The grand prize, ‘Cheonwangsan Book Shelter,’ proposed by a resident, means to enjoy leisure and rest with a single book at Cheonwangsan.

The opening ceremony held on the 23rd was attended by Mayor Lee Seong, city and district council members, and local residents. The event included a report on the progress of the book shelter’s creation and a facility tour.

Since 2019, Guro-gu has developed a family camping site (Hang-dong 149-1), an ecological park (Hang-dong 148), an artificial rock climbing wall (Hang-dong 149), and a smart farm center (Hang-dong 145-1). Through these, the Cheonwangsan area is transforming into a complex cultural space where residents and urban nature coexist.

A Guro-gu official said, “We hope residents enjoy the natural scenery while reading books at the Cheonwangsan Book Shelter,” adding, “We will continue to do our best to provide spaces that can heal the tired bodies and minds of residents.”

Jung-gu (Mayor Seo Yang-ho) is conducting a comprehensive maintenance of children’s protection zones and traffic safety facilities within these zones by April 22 to create safe school routes for the new semester.

The maintenance targets include 36 children’s protection zones in the area: 11 elementary schools, 7 kindergartens, and 18 daycare centers, as well as about 1,400 traffic safety facilities such as traffic lights, crosswalks, signal controllers, safety signs, and roadside obstructions installed within these zones.

The district plans to replace facilities damaged or aged during the winter season and to change, install, or remove facilities according to changes in the surrounding environment.

Accordingly, since the 21st of last month, a joint inspection team composed of Jung-gu office and police has been inspecting the condition of children’s protection zones and traffic safety facilities within the area.

Particular focus is on checking the aging and paint condition of traffic lights, safety signs, and road markings, as well as the management status of auxiliary facilities such as protective fences, sight guide posts, and temporary central dividers, to identify factors that may cause traffic accidents.

Jung-gu plans to complete the inspection of children’s protection zones and facilities by the end of this month and proceed with maintenance based on the results.

Meanwhile, the Jung-gu Parking Management Division conducted a special crackdown on illegal parking and stopping in children’s protection zones from the 2nd to the 18th of this month, also working to prevent children’s traffic accidents and create a safe walking environment.

Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) is operating the ‘Mapo-gu Workshop Support Project,’ which provides 1 million KRW in business expenses to local workshops.

The district plans to support 20 local workshops through the ‘Mapo-gu Workshop Support Project’ to expand craft experience opportunities for residents.

Selected workshops will receive promotional support through the official channels of the Mapo Craft Center and will plan craft experience programs using the 1 million KRW business fund provided.

Eligible expenses include labor costs such as instructor fees necessary for operating experience programs, material costs required for program operation, and promotional expenses such as SNS advertising fees. However, the funds cannot be used for rent, repair costs, or meal expenses.

Additionally, craft experience programs conducted by selected workshops are free for anyone to attend.

Applicants must be workshops located in Mapo-gu as of the announcement date, March 11, dealing with leather, metal, ceramics, woodworking, etc. However, the workshop must have been in operation for at least one year as of the announcement date.

Applications are accepted online until the 25th. Applicants can download the application form and business plan from the Mapo Craft Center website, fill them out, and submit them via email to the Mapo Craft Center.

The district will review the eligibility of the applying workshops and select the final participants in April, posting related information on the Mapo Craft Center website.

For more details, contact the Mapo Craft Center.

A district official said, “We hope this support project will reduce the economic burden on workshops and increase craft experience opportunities for residents,” adding, “We will continue to expand local workshop projects to revitalize Mapo-gu’s craft culture and local economy.”

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