"Schools Become Community Sports Spaces" Hanam City to Open Facilities at 45 Schools

The scale of school facility openings in Hanam City, Gyeonggi Province, will be significantly expanded from the current 14 schools to 45 schools starting in 2026.

Hanam City is signing a 'School Facility Opening Activation Business Agreement' with Gwangju Hanam Office of Education and 31 schools in the district at the city hall's large conference room on the 18th. Provided by Hanam City

Hanam City (Mayor Lee Hyunjae) announced on the 18th that it had signed a "School Facility Opening Activation Business Agreement" with the Gwangju Hanam Office of Education and 31 schools in the district at the city hall's main conference room.

Approximately 30 people attended the signing ceremony, including Mayor Lee Hyunjae, Oh Seongae, Superintendent of the Gwangju Hanam Office of Education, principals of the participating schools, and executives from each institution.

With this agreement, 45 out of the total 47 schools in the district will participate in opening their facilities, laying the groundwork for school gyms and playgrounds to be widely used as spaces for residents' daily sports activities.

Under the agreement, the city will provide financial support for operating costs such as public utility fees and maintenance expenses to the participating schools. The Gwangju Hanam Office of Education will gather feedback from schools, coordinate opening schedules, and offer administrative support such as on-site guidance and inspections. Each school will open its facilities, such as playgrounds and gyms, to residents as long as it does not interfere with student educational activities. The scope of facilities and operating hours will be determined according to each school's circumstances.

Detailed information regarding facility usage will be announced in advance on the websites of each school and the Office of Education. Residents can check the opening status and available hours of nearby schools through these announcements.

The city first signed an agreement with five schools in 2022, then added seven more schools that same year and two schools in 2023, gradually expanding the scale of openings. This year, 31 new schools joined the agreement, and from 2026, most schools in the city will participate in opening their facilities.

Mayor Lee Hyunjae stated, "I would like to thank the principals and the Office of Education for actively participating in opening school facilities for citizens despite challenging circumstances," adding, "This agreement marks an important turning point where schools and the local community can share resources and grow together, going beyond simply opening facilities."

He further emphasized, "The city will spare no effort in providing the necessary support to ensure the stable operation of school facility openings."

Meanwhile, the city is focusing on expanding community sports infrastructure by region so that residents can access sports facilities close to home. Following the opening of the Deokpung Sports Culture Center in April this year, the Gam-il Complex Community Center began full operation in November, and the completion of the Wirye Complex Sports Facility is scheduled for 2026.

In addition, the city continues to improve sports facility environments, including remodeling the second gymnasium at Hanam Sports Complex, opening the Changwoo Badminton Hall, and upgrading the Misa Gateball Court facilities.

A city official commented, "With the expansion of school facility openings, we expect that citizens will have even more opportunities to participate in community sports," adding, "We will continue to enhance accessibility to sports activities for citizens by expanding and improving the operation of sports facilities."

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