Suwon Yeongheung Forest Park Opens on the 26th

On the 26th, Lee Jae-jun, Mayor of Suwon, and other officials attending the opening ceremony of Yeongheung Forest Park in Suwon are cutting the opening tape.

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] 'Suwon Yeongheung Forest Park,' an urban park embracing an arboretum, has opened.

On the 26th, Suwon City held an opening ceremony in the front yard of the Visitor Center within Yeongheung Forest Park, proceeding with Mayor Lee Jae-jun's commemorative tree planting, progress report, congratulatory remarks, and celebratory performances, the city announced on the 27th.

In his congratulatory remarks, Mayor Lee Jae-jun said, "I hope Yeongheung Forest Park will establish itself as a new landmark of Suwon City," and added, "I thank the residents who supported us despite the inconveniences during the construction period."

He continued, "We will strive to enable citizens to experience arboretums, parks, and gardens throughout the city."

Designated as a neighborhood park facility in June 1969, Yeongheung Forest Park remained undeveloped for over 90% of its total area due to financial burdens. Suwon City became the first in the nation to introduce the 'Private Park Special Project' method, which develops parks using private capital under the 'Act on Urban Parks and Green Areas.' The park construction began in 2020 and was completed in two years.

Although up to 30% of the total project area can be developed for non-park purposes by private entities, to minimize forest damage and preserve the existing terrain, the private development area was reduced to about 14%, which was developed into apartment complexes.

Suwon City completed the first phase of the 'Yeongheung Park Private Development Project,' which started in 2014. The second phase, involving the creation of park walking trails and plazas, is scheduled to be completed by April 2023.

Yeongheung Forest Park covers an area of 501,937㎡ and includes walking paths, a forest playground for children, and observation decks. Additionally, rest areas and ecological forest experience spaces have been created. Sports facilities such as a gymnasium, jokgu court, and outdoor exercise equipment are also available for citizens.

Notably, the arboretum, scheduled to open next spring and covering 146,000㎡, is characterized by its garden-style design that preserves the existing mountainous terrain. Approximately 1,000 species of trees and flowers have been planted here, allowing visitors to enjoy the changing forest scenery with the seasons.

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