[Interview] Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, "Creating Healing Spaces by Region Including Bulamsan 'Forest Healing Center'"

Creation of Butterfly Garden at the foot of Bulamsan behind Nowon Driving School, including foot baths, terratherapy, sleeping rooms, and a forest healing center on the rooftop with a splendid view of Bulamsan... Abandoned underground passage in front of Induk University in Wolgye-dong transformed into a youth cultural creation space... Decades-long conflict and environmental damage site turned into an ecological park with a pottery experience center... Newly constructed private building partially donated and opened as a youth exchange space, the youth cafe ‘Orang’

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] “Every time I meet residents, I often hear requests to create cultural facilities close to our neighborhood.”

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon District, told the reporter, “I think we have evenly established such facilities throughout the area, but residents have different thoughts,” adding, “They want these facilities not far away, but near their homes.”

The foundation of Nowon District’s policy is a life of healing for residents. The idea is that if people can comfortably spend half a day off near their homes without going far, that constitutes proper rest, which in turn helps with daily activities.

Therefore, the first initiative was to create healing spaces in each zone by utilizing idle spaces. The area is divided into four zones, from Wolgye-dong, the gateway of Nowon District, to Sanggye-dong in Uijeongbu, and development is underway.

At Yeongchuksan in Wolgye-dong, a neighborhood hill that had been almost neglected was transformed into a circular walking trail of 3.92 km in two sections, designed for easy use by everyone from children to the elderly and people with disabilities.

In Gongneung-dong, the area around the old Hwarangdae Station on the Gyeongchun Line forest trail was developed into Seoul’s first nighttime light garden, similar to Gapyeong’s Garden of Morning Calm, becoming a representative tourist destination selected by Seoul City.

In Junggye-dong, the foothills of Bulamsan behind Nowon Driving School were developed into a healing town. This area used to be plagued by illegal farming and unauthorized restaurants. Around the existing children’s forest experience center, a butterfly garden where butterflies can be seen even in midwinter, foot baths, theragraphy, a sleeping room, and a forest healing center with a terrace on the rooftop offering splendid views of Bulamsan were created, providing a space to breathe in phytoncides freely.

Additionally, a 2 km deck walking trail was built, and 100,000 azalea bushes were planted, allowing visitors to enjoy colorful azaleas every April. Soon, with the construction of an observatory equipped with an elevator, views of Suraksan and Dobongsan will also be possible.

Moreover, Seoul’s first urban-type recreational forest is about to begin construction on Suraksan in Sanggye-dong.

Mayor Oh said, “Nowon District has the fifth largest youth population in Seoul. We are paying attention to the lives of young people in their early 20s who come to the area for seven universities, so that they recognize Nowon not only as a place to ‘reside’ but as a base for ‘living’?working and engaging in activities.”

A representative example is the youth creative space called the ‘Meet-up Center.’ It utilizes the previously neglected underground passage next to the Wolgye 2-dong post office, making use of the underground space’s characteristics to embody the meaning of ‘meeting and growing from below.’

The interior consists of four spaces where youth can express their passion and talents and relax. It includes a one-person media room for aspiring creators, a band practice room, a dance room, and a mini theater. Various video editing and YouTube filming are also possible.

Going a step further, a newly constructed private building space was donated to create a youth exchange space called the youth caf? ‘Orang.’ It is located on the 9th floor of KB Financial Nowon Plaza near Exit 6 of Nowon Station at the Lotte Department Store intersection in Sanggye-dong, where 39% of Nowon’s youth population is concentrated.

The ‘Nowon Orang’ facility covers approximately 331.10㎡ (about 100 pyeong) and includes a counseling room for mental health consultations, an online interview room supporting youth employment, an open caf? for music listening and relaxation, and an education room for free discussions and training.

The three ‘youth hideouts’ established are similar. They utilize idle spaces in local public buildings to allow youth to freely rest and heal.

The hideout on the 3rd floor of Sanggye 3.4-dong Community Center (895 Deokrung-ro, Nowon-gu) is 110㎡ in size and includes creative activity spaces, a kitchen area, and relaxation spaces. It also features a terrace space where visitors can enjoy a camping atmosphere.

The hideout on the 4th floor of the Sangsang Irum Center (502 Nohae-ro, Nowon-gu) is 92㎡ and includes a youth stage for singing and dance performances to showcase talents, an open kitchen where friends can cook together, and study spaces for comfortable rest and learning.

Also, the hideout located on the 2nd floor of Nowon Child Welfare Center (311 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu), measuring 115.43㎡, includes a pocket room for relaxing, reading, and lying down, a dance room where youth can dance freely, a powder room (dressing table) for female students to apply makeup and groom themselves, as well as karaoke and various game spaces.

The ceramic experience center at Choansan in Wolgye-dong is a unique space. It was formed as a village when people who collected scrap and waste for living were forcibly relocated in the late 1970s. The area suffered from unauthorized building proliferation, damaging the landscape, and long-term waste landfill and accumulation after sorting recyclables caused environmental pollution, leading to conflicts with nearby residents demanding relocation. Since 2008, the district has been conducting redevelopment projects and completed the relocation and demolition of 33 households and 80 buildings last June after more than a decade. Subsequently, the area was transformed into a 13,160㎡ ecological park featuring an ecological forest, a science playground, and a ceramic experience center that harmonizes with the surrounding environment. Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “As a mayor, to achieve goals using limited resources, you have to work on the ground,” adding, “If the mayor takes an interest, things change.”