Yongin Mapyeong-dong Sports Complex 'Central Park' Development... 15 Billion Won Invested

[Asia Economy (Yongin) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] The site of the Mapeong-dong Sports Complex in Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi Province, is being reborn as a healing landmark called "Yongin Central Park" (tentative name), encompassing the Gyeongan Stream green axis. It will be the largest flatland park in Yongin-si.

On the 17th, Baek Gun-gi, mayor of Yongin-si, announced through a Facebook and YouTube live broadcast at the city hall briefing room, "We have decided to develop the Mapeong-dong Sports Complex, which holds many citizens' memories and the history of Yongin-si, into a park to return it to all citizens."

Yongin Central Park will be developed as an above-ground park on the 62,443㎡ site of the Mapeong-dong Sports Complex in Cheoin-gu.

Except for the indoor gymnasium and gateball field, all facilities on the site will be demolished, and green spaces including a 50,000㎡ walking trail will be created.

Additionally, by adopting a landscape architectural method that utilizes natural terrain such as hills, a three-dimensional grass plaza will be created above ground, and a separate space will be provided below for a parking lot for users and offices for the current main stadium tenant organizations.

One above-ground parking lot and one surface parking lot will be constructed to secure 250 parking spaces, and various cultural performance venues and sports facilities will also be installed.

The city plans to open a connecting passage to Gyeongan Stream here, creating a green triangle belt that naturally encompasses the "Gyeongan Stream Urban Forest" (77,727㎡) in Yeongmun-ri, Pogok-eup, Cheoin-gu, scheduled to be created by the end of 2022, and the Yubang-dong Green Rest Area (1,378,049㎡), designated as an urban natural park zone.

Also, to make Central Park an open space where citizens can participate, a separate website will be launched to collect ideas on the park's name and facility content composition.

Methods to link the development of traditional markets such as Yongin Jungang Market and the underdeveloped adjacent areas like Mapeong-dong and Gorim-dong will also be sought.

The city plans to form a Central Park promotion task force (TF) aiming for completion in 2022, finish the mid-term local finance plan and investment review within the year, complete all administrative procedures including detailed design in the first half of next year, and start construction in the second half. The total project cost is 15 billion KRW.

Mayor Baek promised, "We will revitalize the old downtown not by 'filling in' according to development logic, but by 'subtracting' to preserve the meaning of the space. We will devote all efforts to creating an eco-friendly green space where many citizens can heal."

The city is also promoting the reconstruction of the Yongin Public Bus Terminal in the area of 23-1, Gimnyangjang-dong, Cheoin-gu.

Earlier in 2018, the city finalized the 3rd local public transportation plan to rebuild the current public bus terminal and install a GTX Yongin Station complex transfer terminal in the western area including Suji and Giheung.

The city has allocated 700 million KRW for design fees and is currently promoting a design competition for the public bus terminal. Construction will begin in the second half of next year after the detailed design is completed. The project cost is 9.3 billion KRW.

Song Jong-yul, director of the city's Transportation and Construction Bureau, explained, "Considering large-scale developments such as the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster and Yangji Logistics Center, as well as road network expansion, we will strategically consider the relocation of public facilities in Cheoin area including the public bus terminal and ways to utilize the public bus terminal."