Opening of Seongdong-gu Yongdap Sports Center

Long-Awaited Cultural and Sports Facility in Yongdap and Songjeong Areas, 'Seongdong-gu Yongdap Sports Center,' Opens November 4... Fitness, Yoga, and Other Programs Operate at 50% Capacity; Bathhouse Operation to Be Decided Based on COVID-19 Trends

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, inspecting Seongdong-gu Yongdap Sports Center together with residents for facility inspection

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (District Mayor Jung Won-oh) will open the ‘Seongdong-gu Yongdap Sports Center,’ fulfilling the long-standing wish of residents to have cultural and sports facilities in the Yongdap and Songjeong areas, on November 4.

In July, the district remodeled a 1,889㎡ space on the basement 1st and 2nd floors of the Seoul Education and Culture Center, operated by Seoul Metro, into an all-weather cultural and sports facility that includes a swimming pool and a public bathhouse reflecting residents’ opinions.

However, the opening was indefinitely postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, causing some disappointment.

Recently, following the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters’ announcement of eased quarantine measures in the metropolitan area and residents’ requests for prompt operation, the district will officially begin operating the center starting with the opening ceremony on November 4.

The center places a public bathhouse, a gym, and program rooms for lifestyle sports such as yoga and Pilates on the basement 1st floor. The basement 2nd floor’s swimming pool, which had become inconvenient to use due to severe aging, was completely remodeled, and the shower area was expanded. Above all, to ensure smooth functionality of the building after 15 years since its completion, thorough safety equipment and system installations were implemented.

A district official said, “The Seongdong-gu Yongdap Sports Center is the result of the long-standing wishes of the residents in the Yongdap-dong area. Until now, there were no proper public sports facilities in Yongdap-dong, causing inconvenience to residents, and there were difficulties in establishing facilities due to issues such as securing space. We decided to open the center promptly to repay the residents’ long wait and will do our utmost to operate it safely.”

To comply with quarantine rules such as social distancing, sports programs like gym and yoga will limit participants to within 50% of capacity due to COVID-19, and swimming will be operated only for free swimming. The bathhouse operation will be postponed temporarily due to concerns about COVID-19 infection, and its operation will be reviewed depending on the spread of COVID-19.

District Mayor Jung Won-oh said, “This opening is expected to be good news that revitalizes residents physically and mentally, who have been exhausted by COVID-19 and long deprived of cultural and sports facilities. We will do our best to ensure that all residents can safely use the sports facilities.”