[Seoul District News] Yeongdeungpo-gu Reschedules Yeouido Cherry Blossom Path Opening to April 9-17; Control Sections, Schedule, Pedestrian Right-Side Walking, and Entry/Exit Routes Remain as Planned... Songpa-gu Extends Songpa Dullegil Cherry Blossom Outing & Non-Face-to-Face Walking Period from April 3 to April 10... Dongdaemun-gu Opens Jungnangcheon Urban Agriculture Experience Center
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) has extended the opening period of the Yeouido Cherry Blossom Road (Yeouiseo-ro) from April 9 to 17.
The district explained that due to the prolonged low temperatures, the blooming period was delayed compared to previous years, making it unavoidable to extend traffic control and the opening period.
Accordingly, the schedule has been changed from the previously planned April 2 to April 9 at 8 a.m. until April 17 at 10 p.m. for the opening.
Traffic control will be enforced from noon on April 8 until noon on April 18. The 1.7 km section of Yeouiseo-ro (behind the National Assembly) from the southern end of Seogang Bridge to the Intersection near the Assembly Hall will be completely closed to vehicle traffic. The cherry blossom walkway will be open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.
Visitors on the cherry blossom road must walk only on the right side in one direction, and electric scooters and bicycles are prohibited. Entry and exit to the cherry blossom road are only allowed at the southern end intersection of Seogang Bridge and the Assembly Hall intersection. All access paths from Hangang Park to Yeouiseo-ro cherry blossom road are closed.
The district originally planned to open the Yeouido cherry blossom road from March 31, but due to lower temperatures and continued strong winds compared to previous years, the opening date was inevitably postponed to April 8, when the flower buds are expected to bloom, the district emphasized again.
Detailed information about the spring flower road opening and traffic control can be found on the official website of the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival.
The district is also focusing on quarantine measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and maintaining a pleasant walking path by enforcing basic order and environmental maintenance. Order management booths will be installed throughout the cherry blossom road, and personnel will be assigned to enforce social distancing and prohibit food consumption. Additionally, a functional team situation room will operate to manage street maintenance, crackdown on street vendors, cleaning, and safety inspections to ensure prompt on-site response and environmental improvement.
Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “We apologize for having to change the opening schedule of Yeouiseo-ro cherry blossom road again, but since this is the first opening in three years after the spread of COVID-19, we had to change the schedule to present a warmer and more radiant cherry blossom road.” He added, “We kindly ask for citizens’ cooperation and understanding, and hope that many visitors to the cherry blossom road will leave with hopeful spring energy and unforgettable memories.”
Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) announced that it will extend the periods of the ‘21km Songpa Dullegil Cherry Blossom Outing’ and the ‘Let’s Walk Together 50-ri Riverside Non-face-to-face Walking’ to match the delayed cherry blossom blooming period.
As the cherry blossoms in Seoul are blooming late, the district will extend the ‘21km Songpa Dullegil Cherry Blossom Outing,’ originally scheduled from March 25 to April 3, until April 10.
During the ‘21km Songpa Dullegil Cherry Blossom Outing,’ visitors can enjoy various sights and activities along the Songpa Dullegil with the cherry blossoms in full bloom.
At the Seongnaecheon section, calligraphy and poetry exhibitions are held, and along the Tancheon trail, visitors can see the ‘Four Seasons of the 21km Songpa Dullegil’ photo exhibition and an environmental pollution photo exhibition.
Additionally, light installations and photo zones are set up at the eight scenic cherry blossom spots and major observatories along Songpa Dullegil, providing visitors with sights and activities to enjoy their spring walk.
Furthermore, the ‘Let’s Walk Together 50-ri Riverside Non-face-to-face Walking,’ originally scheduled to end on April 3, will also be extended until April 10. Participants who walk along Songpa Dullegil and take certification photos at the light installations and photo zones can upload them to the district’s website certification board to receive mobile gift coupons.
Mayor Park Seong-su said, “We have prepared so that residents and tourists visiting Songpa can safely enjoy cherry blossom outings not only at Seokchon Lake but throughout Songpa-gu, including Songpa Dullegil.” He added, “We hope everyone takes time to feel the spring atmosphere brought by the cherry blossoms and heal their body and mind tired from COVID-19.”
Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) opened the Jungnangcheon Urban Agriculture Experience Learning Center located at the second sports park by the Jungnangcheon riverside (under Jang-an Bridge) on the morning of the 1st.
The Jungnangcheon Urban Agriculture Experience Learning Center, established in 2013 and now in its 10th year, was created so that residents who find it difficult to cultivate personal gardens in the city can directly touch the soil, grow crops, and enjoy the joy of harvest.
A district official stated that due to increasing resident demand for the urban agriculture experience learning center, the scale was expanded by 270 plots from the end of last year, allowing a total of 900 plots (about 5㎡ per plot) this year so that more residents can experience urban agriculture.
Participants in the urban agriculture experience learning center are 900 residents selected through a random computerized lottery from 2,725 applicants across four categories including those aged 60 and over and persons with disabilities, with an average competition rate of 3 to 1. They will plant the provided seedlings and carry out tasks such as watering and weeding, cultivating crops until November.
From the 1st to the 3rd, seedlings of lettuce, chives, chili peppers, and eggplants will be distributed to participants. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, distribution will be staggered by plot number endings. Seedlings will be handed out directly to participants near the pedestrian overpass by the second sports park of Jungnangcheon and under Jang-an Bridge to prevent theft and rain damage.
The district disinfected convenience facilities such as shade tents and benches according to COVID-19 prevention guidelines for safe operation of the urban agriculture experience learning center. Hand sanitizers are placed inside the learning center, and participants are notified in advance via text messages about COVID-19 prevention rules. The district will also support safe food production management including plowing, eco-friendly pest control, and crop safety inspections.
Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, “We hope residents will spend meaningful time escaping the harsh urban life and nurturing their emotions through the experience of touching soil and growing crops, even on a small scale.” He added, “Especially, we hope the urban agriculture experience helps overcome the depression caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, and we will continue to strive so that more residents can enjoy urban agriculture experiences.”
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