Geumcheon-gu Siheung Valley Soccer Field Tripled to Create a Representative Ecological Park in the Southwest Region

Geumcheon-gu 'Siheung Valley Omi Ecological Park' Development Promotion
Seoul International Garden Expo Catalyst, Geumcheon-gu Siheung Valley
Creation of 4km Garden Path Connected to Seoul Dulle-gil and 100 Attractive Gardens
By September, Establishment of Nature Healing Center, Mureogwi Rest Area, Ochre Barefoot Walking Trail, Rose Garden, etc.

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yu Seong-hoon) announced the creation of ‘Omi Ecological Park’ in Siheung Valley, covering an area equivalent to 2.7 soccer fields (approximately 18,500㎥), and the establishment of 100 charming gardens throughout the park.

In ‘Omi Ecological Park,’ ‘Omi (五美)’ refers to the five fragrances?forest scent, flower scent, soil scent, human scent, and water scent?intended to enhance the charm of the gardens.

Except for Hoamsan Mountain and Anyangcheon Stream, Geumcheon-gu lacks sufficient walking spaces, and the area of neighborhood parks is smaller than the Seoul city average, making it difficult for residents to enjoy natural benefits.

Therefore, the district is promoting a project to create 100 attractive gardens throughout Omi Ecological Park where residents can enjoy nature and walk nearby, along with a 4km garden path connected to the Seoul Dulle-gil Trail.

The ‘Siheung Valley Omi Ecological Park Creation Project’ proceeded in the order of selection through the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s public contest, securing the project site, park design, and construction.

Of the total project cost of 3.9 billion KRW, 1.6 billion KRW was secured through selection in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s development-restricted area resident support project contest. Among candidate projects from 19 autonomous districts in Seoul participating in the contest, it was recognized for its originality and selected as one of the final three projects to receive park creation funding.

During the site acquisition process, negotiations with private landowners were challenging, but ownership transfer was agreed upon at about half the usual purchase price.

Construction began in October last year, and by December, the northern site of 7,000㎡ was completed. Currently, the southern site of 11,500㎡ has its main framework completed, including walking paths, rest areas, and weekend farm plots, with plans to finish by September this year.

Upon completion, visitors will be able to use facilities such as the two-story Siheung Valley Natural Healing Center, the water junction rest area where two streams meet, a 100m-long loess barefoot walking path, a rose garden symbolizing Venus’s love, a fitness area, a companion plant healing garden, and an urban agriculture experience center.

Vacant lands scattered throughout the park will be developed into 100 uniquely charming gardens through public contests by 2026.

On the afternoon of the 3rd, the district created a 40-pyeong (approximately 132㎡) pilot garden inside the Siheung Valley Omi Ecological Park construction site with 40 participants including gardeners and local residents. The district plans to exhibit this pilot garden at the ‘2024 Seoul International Garden Expo.’

Additionally, the 2024 Seoul International Garden Expo, a representative festival of the ‘Garden City Seoul,’ will be held from May 16 to October 8 at Ttukseom Hangang Park under the theme ‘Seoul, Green Vibe’ with the subtitle ‘Colorful Hangang.’ Visitors can enjoy garden works created by international contest-winning artists, students, citizens, companies, and institutions, as well as visit the garden center and experience diverse garden culture programs.

Yu Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, stated, “Starting with Omi Ecological Park, we will build pedestrian infrastructure connecting the Seoul Dulle-gil Trail in all directions and create participatory gardens throughout to realize Geumcheon-gu as a district that elevates the dignity of the garden city Seoul.”

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