Controversy Over Building an Art Center on the Parking Lot Site at Cheonan Seongseong Lake Park

City Councilor Baek Seong-min "Art Center Construction Feasibility Study Conducted Without Resident Explanation"
Mayor Park Sang-don "Urban Park or Parking Lot to Be Built in Residentially Restricted Areas"

Seongseong Lake Park, emerging as a new tourist attraction in Cheonan, is facing difficulties due to parking shortages, while concerns have been raised that an art center is being considered for the site designated for parking lots.

On the 1st, Cheonan City Council member Bae Seong-min focused on the parking shortage issue at Seongseong Lake Park during the 4th plenary session of the 268th extraordinary meeting.

Councilor Bae pointed out, “The parking lot at Asan Sinjeongho Lake Park, which has a total area similar to Seongseong Lake Park, has 1,114 spaces, and Sejong Lake Park has 1,244 spaces, whereas Seongseong Lake Park only has 221 spaces, which is far too insufficient.”

He strongly criticized, saying, “Although the detention basin site within Seongseong Lake Park was selected as the top priority site for parking lots, the city is currently conducting a feasibility study for the construction of an art center.”

Bae stated, “The detention basin site in the park was selected as the top priority site following a collective complaint by 140 residents in 2023 regarding the parking shortage,” and added, “However, the site that should be used as a parking lot is currently under a feasibility study for an art center without gathering residents’ opinions.”

He continued, “The city claims that since the area is undeveloped, the parking issue can be sufficiently addressed, but parking problems should be reflected in urban planning in advance,” and questioned, “Isn’t the current parking shortage due to selling off all the parking lot land next to Oseong Elementary School during the development of Buldang-dong?”

Issues were also raised regarding the feasibility study report for the art center construction.

Councilor Bae criticized, “There was not a single occasion for resident opinion gathering, public hearings, or explanatory meetings during the process of commissioning the feasibility study to replace the site designated for parking lots with an art center.”

He added, “The basic purpose of the detention basin management plan is to establish a fundamental plan for management and operation that does not interfere with the installation purpose and function when utilizing the detention basin, designated as a disaster prevention facility, for other purposes,” and pointed out, “Since this is the first case in our area of changing the use of a detention basin to install facilities, basic risk preparations should be made, but the feasibility study report lacks even these fundamental details.”

In response, Mayor Park Sang-don stated, “This is the first time I have heard that the detention basin site is the top priority for parking lots,” and added, “Since we are currently envisioning the Seongseong district residential complex, we plan to create urban parks or parking lots in areas restricted by future development plans.”

He further explained, “Asan Sinjeongho and Sejong Lake Parks were developed a long time ago, whereas Seongseong Lake Park is less than five years old, so comparing them directly is an excessive claim.”

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