Gwangju Dong-gu Completes "Vacant House to Garden" Circulation Garden Project

Exterior view of Gwangju Dong-gu Office.

On November 21, the Dong-gu District Office in Gwangju announced the completion of the "Vacant House Circulation Garden Project," which involved demolishing a long-abandoned and safety-concerning vacant house in the Seoseok-dong area and transforming the site into a community garden that residents can freely enjoy.

This project is notable for being the first in Gwangju to carry out an administrative demolition of a vacant house at 5-4 Seoseok-dong. After the demolition, a small, resident-centered garden was created as part of a corporate social responsibility initiative by SM Steel (Construction Division), a private company.

The completion ceremony was attended by District Mayor Im Taek, Dong-gu Council Chair Moon Sunhwa, SM Steel (Construction Division) CEO Sung Nakwon, members of the residents' council, and local residents. During the event, participants shared the project's progress, toured the newly created garden, and observed the improved environment. The ceremony included a progress report, an on-site tour, and a commemorative photo session. Future plans for resident-participatory garden management were also introduced.

Through this project, the risk of safety accidents caused by the neglected vacant house was eliminated, and the village landscape was improved, significantly enhancing the residents' living environment. Moving forward, the district plans to establish a sustainable management system led by the residents' council and involving "community gardeners" for autonomous maintenance.

Im Taek, Mayor of Dong-gu District, stated, "The vacant house, which had long been a source of inconvenience and anxiety for residents, has been reborn as an open community garden, resulting in a visibly improved local environment. We will continue to pursue safety and environmental improvement projects that residents can truly feel."

Meanwhile, in September, Dong-gu became the first in Gwangju to carry out administrative demolitions of three vacant houses located at 5-4 Seoseok-dong, 408-3 Jisan-dong, and 521-23 Gyerim-dong. Based on future surveys of vacant houses, the district plans to identify additional sites for improvement and expand vacant house renovation and living environment enhancement projects in collaboration with private companies and the local community.

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