[Seoul District News] Jung-gu installs barrier-free deck road and ramps on 480m walking trail, renovates exercise equipment and rest facilities, plants seasonal flowers and trees... Jungnang-gu designates two Dosan 2,3-cha Apartment senior centers in Myeonmok-dong as ‘Dementia Safe Senior Centers’... Yeongdeungpo-gu Dorim-dong launches ‘Happiness Sharing Bean Sprouts’ and ‘Healthy Meal Project’ for low-income single households... Yangcheon-gu starts lightweight manual wheelchair sharing service at three welfare centers... Gangnam-gu’s ‘Green Smart City’ public idea contest
Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu, Seoul (right), attended the reopening ceremony of Muhakbong Neighborhood Park and is walking the barrier-free path of Muhakbong Neighborhood Park together with people with disabilities.
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jung-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Gil-seong) has newly unveiled Muhakbong Neighborhood Park as a barrier-free trail for residents.
Originally established in 2005, Muhakbong Neighborhood Park spans approximately 38,000 square meters (9,213㎡ in Jung-gu) and is located between Jung-gu and Seongdong-gu, serving as a place for residents to take walks and relax. However, due to aging facilities and steep slopes, it was difficult for seniors, people with disabilities, and those with strollers to use the park.
In response, the district began transforming the park into a barrier-free trail starting February last year. As a result, a 480-meter-long deck road and deck ramps were constructed throughout, creating a walking path accessible and easy to use for everyone. Additionally, exercise equipment and benches were installed and repaired in various spots, and 5,384 trees including Cheongdanpung (Korean maple) and Sansuyu (Cornus officinalis), as well as 20,523 herbaceous plants such as hydrangeas, were newly planted to provide comfortable resting places.
The Muhakbong Neighborhood Park barrier-free trail is 2 meters wide with a maximum slope of 8%.
At the opening ceremony of the 'Muhakbong Neighborhood Park Redevelopment' held on the 22nd, Jung-gu Mayor Kim Gil-seong and about 30 residents attended, received a report on the project, and toured the barrier-free trail firsthand.
Mayor Kim Gil-seong said, "Walking the path myself, I realized that it is truly a comfortable and easy walking trail that anyone can visit and use," adding, "We will continue to develop barrier-free trails so that all residents can enjoy walking comfortably."
Starting with this Muhakbong Neighborhood Park barrier-free trail, Jung-gu plans to create a total 4.22 km barrier-free footpath from Eungbong Park (Daehyeonsan Reservoir) to Namsan by 2024.
Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi) announced that it has designated two local senior centers as ‘Dementia Safe Senior Centers’ to prevent dementia and create a dementia-safe community.
‘Dementia Safe Senior Centers’ is a project promoted in cooperation with the Jungnang-gu Dementia Safety Center to deliver dementia prevention information and encourage dementia prevention practices at senior centers where many high-risk elderly gather. The district aims not only to prevent dementia but also to foster a dementia-safe community through this designation.
At the Dementia Safe Senior Centers, education to improve dementia awareness and response capabilities, dementia prevention programs, and free dementia screenings will be provided to senior users. The goal is to cultivate a culture that considers dementia patients so they can use the facilities without worry and to transform the centers into dementia-friendly places.
Last month, Doosan 3rd Apartment in Myeonmok-dong was designated as the first Dementia Safe Senior Center, followed by Doosan 2nd Apartment in Myeonmok-dong as the second this month.
On the 22nd, a plaque presentation ceremony for the second Dementia Safe Senior Center and a business agreement for dementia management projects were held. Discussions on upcoming activities, dementia prevention education, and recreational activities took place. Notably, ‘Memory Friend Leaders,’ citizens who voluntarily spread knowledge and response methods about dementia, conducted the education themselves, adding special significance.
Jungnang-gu Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi said, “We plan to actively operate Dementia Safe Senior Centers with early dementia screening and prevention programs,” and added, “We will do our best to expand Dementia Safe Senior Centers continuously to create a Jungnang-gu where not only high-risk elderly but also dementia patients can live safely.”
As social issues such as social isolation and solitary deaths among single-person households emerge, the sharing activities of local residents embracing marginalized neighbors are drawing attention.
Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Choi Ho-gwon) Dorim-dong Community Service Center announced that it is promoting the ‘Happiness-filled Sharing Bean Sprout Project’ and the ‘Single-Person Household Healthy Meal Project’ for neighbors living alone in cooperation with the Dong Community Social Security Council (Chair Lee Geum-soon).
The purpose is to regularly meet low-income single-person household residents whose health and well-being are a concern, deliver food and side dishes, and help them play a role as healthy members of the local community through network formation.
The project, led by the Dorim-dong Community Social Security Council, is made more meaningful by the participation of local residents interested in helping neighbors, such as welfare account holders, honorary social welfare officers, and women's association members.
First, the ‘Happiness-filled Sharing Bean Sprout’ project aims for small daily donations by having residents grow bean sprouts themselves and share them with neighbors in need, conveying their hearts.
Residents who received experience kits at the education session on the 14th began growing bean sprouts and plan to regularly check on the well-being of single-person households through the sprouts they cultivate.
The ‘Single-Person Household Healthy Meal Project’ visits middle-aged single-person households who have experienced social disconnection due to unemployment, income, or health issues once a month, inquiring about their well-being and delivering groceries to prevent isolation and the risk of solitary death through continuous relationship building.
Participants held a preliminary orientation on the 15th, visited target households, and delivered samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) for the first heat of summer, planning to continue activities until November.
A member of the Community Social Security Council who participated in the project said, “I wanted to help neighbors living alone in difficulty but didn’t know where to start,” adding, “I’m glad that small interest and effort can be combined to help neighbors in need.”
Yeongdeungpo-gu Mayor Choi Ho-gwon said, “I thank the residents who extended warm hands to neighbors in need, and I hope this project will serve as an opportunity to look after marginalized neighbors once more and create a warmly inclusive village community.”
Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Lee Gi-jae) announced that starting from the 27th, it will operate a free wheelchair sharing service called ‘Together Outing’ for residents with mobility difficulties such as seniors, people with disabilities, and those temporarily experiencing walking difficulties.
The shared wheelchairs will be stocked with 5 units each at Yangcheon Haenuri Welfare Center, Yangcheon Senior Welfare Center, and Seo Seoul Senior Welfare Center, totaling 15 units. They can be used for up to one month, with possible extensions depending on circumstances. From July 27, residents can inquire and use the service at the nearest of the three welfare centers.
The district actively reflected residents’ opinions that most existing rental wheelchairs were old and somewhat heavy for the main users, seniors and women, by providing lightweight and easy-to-use manual wheelchairs. This aims to enhance resident convenience and address welfare blind spots.
Additionally, the district operates various sharing projects allowing residents to use items and spaces without burden, including a tool library, 100-day celebration sharing service, toy library, and idle space rental. Detailed information is available on the ‘Gongyu Nuri’ platform.
Yangcheon-gu Mayor Lee Gi-jae said, “We will continue to expand public open resources through diverse sharing projects that provide convenience to residents and save resources.”
◆Yangcheon-gu Personnel
Gangnam-gu (Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) will hold the ‘AI/ICT/SW-based Urban Problem Solving Idea Contest’ from July 12 to August 19 to discover policy tasks that can solve urban problems by applying smart technologies.
The contest categories are ▲environmental issues such as climate change and fine dust ▲safety issues such as insufficient living infrastructure and crime prevention ▲welfare issues to improve convenience for socially vulnerable groups.
Applicants can choose a category and propose solutions to urban problems using smart technology, and apply online through the district’s website.
Any Korean citizen can participate individually or as a team (up to 3 members). Gangnam-gu will conduct a mentoring camp for 12 teams that pass the first screening from August 30 to September 26 for one month. Based on the final evaluation, one grand prize team, two excellence award teams, and three encouragement award teams will be selected, with a maximum prize of 3 million KRW and a total prize of 9 million KRW.
Gangnam-gu Mayor Jo Seong-myeong said, “In the 8th term of the elected government, Gangnam-gu aims to become a world-class ‘Green Smart City’ by encouraging participation and collaboration from residents, public officials, and private experts to discover customized smart city service policies,” adding, “I hope citizens from all walks of life with innovative ideas will participate in the contest and support Gangnam’s leap forward.”
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