Opening of the Summer Escape Spot 'Geumcheon Pongdangpongdang Children's Water Playground'

[Seoul District News] Geumcheon-gu Closes Every Monday and Friday from July 26 to August 28 for Cleaning and Facility Maintenance; Operates 3,303㎡ Children and Toddler Zones, Changing Rooms, Shade Tents, and Rest Areas ... Dongjak-gu Operates 6 Water Playgrounds in Rotation from July 27 to August 15 with Various Events and Attractions, Popular Urban Water Park ... Dobong-gu Temporary Screening Clinic Reopens in Front of Dobong-gu Office ... Gangbuk-gu Runs Single-Parent Family 'Kkumjaram Camp'

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yu Seong-hoon) announced that the ‘Geumcheon Pongdangpongdang Children's Water Playground,’ located under Geumcheon Bridge, will officially open for operation from 10 a.m. on the 26th.

The water playground, covering an area of 3,303㎡, features separate zones for children and toddlers, allowing safe use not only for children but also for infants. For relaxation, there are shade tents, resting areas, and camping decks around the water playground, and a resting deck that can accommodate about 100 people has been created on the embankment slope.

Additionally, auxiliary facilities such as an outdoor shower, changing rooms, and restrooms are also available. This year, parasols have been added to provide shade within the pool, and a small slide has been installed so children can enjoy playing happily.

Geumcheon-gu completed water quality tests and facility safety inspections before opening. To maintain clean water quality, it operates its own purification system and plans to replace the water daily.

Furthermore, safety personnel, volunteers, and nursing staff are stationed at all times to prepare for emergencies, and a ‘Care Center’ is operated so that residents who suffer abrasions while using the water playground can receive treatment.

Visitors must comply with the following to ensure children's safety and prevent water pollution: ▲ operate 50 minutes per hour (10 minutes break) ▲ wear aqua shoes (regular shoes such as sneakers are not allowed), swimsuits, and swim caps (regular hats not allowed) ▲ wash the body before entering (children under 5 are prohibited from entering the children’s zone and must enter the toddler zone) ▲ take back any trash brought in.

In particular, bringing food into the water playground is prohibited, and the use of shampoo, soap, detergents, etc., is banned to preserve the river environment and ecosystem.

The water playground is about a 10-minute walk from Doksan Station area. From Exit 2 of Doksan Station, walk straight for 200m, then descend to the Anyangcheon embankment via the pedestrian slope of Geumcheon Bridge.

If traveling by car, it is convenient to use the public parking lots around the water playground. The Geumcheon Bridge underpass public parking lot near Doksan Station has a total of 72 parking spaces and is free of charge after 3 p.m. on Saturdays and all day on Sundays.

The water playground is closed every Monday and Friday for cleaning the purification tank and facility maintenance.

Yu Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, “We will strive to make the ‘Geumcheon Pongdangpongdang Children's Water Playground’ a clean and safe place where children can enjoy water play to their heart’s content.”

Dongjak-gu (Mayor Park Il-ha) will operate six children’s water playgrounds in the city starting from the 27th.

Under the catchphrase ‘WaterPool WonderFull Dongjak,’ this water playground reopens after a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19, operating two representative water playgrounds (▲ Dongjak Parking Park ▲ Seoul Samsung School) and four regional water playgrounds.

Dongjak Parking Park (220 Hyeonchung-ro, Exit 5 of Dongjak Station) is one of the representative water playgrounds and will operate continuously until August 15, except Mondays.

In addition to pools of various sizes and types, there are attractions such as a mini train, Viking ride, and water balloon experiences. With bubble shows, balloon magic shows, DJ boxes, and well-equipped resting areas, it is expected to be popular as an urban water park for the whole family.

At Seoul Samsung School, a low air slide has been installed to prioritize safety so that all children can use it safely.

Also, four regional playgrounds will be operated in rotation. From the 27th, ▲ Songhak Grand Park (Noryangjin) ▲ Sadaeng Community Water Playground (Sadang) will open, and from August 8, ▲ Bingsugol Village Park (Sangdo) ▲ Chamsae Children’s Park (Daebang) will open sequentially. Detailed information such as operating periods for each water playground can be found on the Dongjak-gu Office blog.

The district operates daily tank cleaning and assigns safety managers and staff, while following quarantine rules such as installing full-body disinfectors and temperature check devices, considering water quality and safety.

All facilities are free of charge, operating from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is on a first-come, first-served basis without reservation, considering appropriate capacity.

Park Tae-han, Director of the Sports and Culture Department, said, “We have thoroughly prepared for the opening so that children can enjoy water play nearby, and we will pay close attention to water quality and quarantine to ensure safe water play.”

Dobong-gu (Mayor Oh Eon-seok) will operate a temporary screening clinic (Madello 656) in front of the district office main gate starting July 22 due to the resurgence of COVID-19.

The operating hours are daily from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., with disinfection time from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Priority PCR testing is available for those aged 60 or older, suspected COVID-19 cases (with a doctor’s note), close contacts (notified by test message), overseas entrants, workers in vulnerable facilities, and those who test positive on rapid antigen tests, who can undergo diagnostic testing with ID. General test seekers should visit hospitals or clinics for rapid antigen tests.

The Dobong-gu Public Health Center screening clinic (117 Banghak-ro 3-gil) operates on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (disinfection time from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.) and on weekends (holidays) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (no disinfection time).

Oh Eon-seok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, said, “As COVID-19 cases increase, we have added a temporary screening clinic to proactively prevent spread within the community. We will pay special attention to operating it so that residents can receive quick and safe testing.”

Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Soon-hee) is operating a Dream Growth Camp for low-income single-parent families in the area.

This event is an experiential program for single-parent families who find it difficult to travel as a family due to busy daily lives. It is designed to provide a time to recharge by appreciating the value of nature outside the city and creating memories with family.

The camp will be held on August 5 at Jilul Goraesil Village in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do. Jilul Goraesil Village is a name combining ‘Jilul,’ meaning a village surrounded like a fence by mountains, and ‘Goraesil,’ meaning fertile rice paddies with good waterways, and is an experiential village operated by a village community.

During the camp, participants will engage in rural experience activities such as ▲ harvesting corn and cherry tomatoes ▲ silk thread reeling experience ▲ exploring the village by tractor cart.

Previously, the district selected 40 single-parent families with elementary school children by recommendation from each neighborhood, prioritizing those who did not participate last year to ensure balanced benefits. After the event, a satisfaction survey will be conducted to reflect in next year’s program operation.

Lee Soon-hee, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, said, “I hope this will be a time for families to recharge together in nature, even if just for a moment, away from daily life. We will continue to expand customized programs that can give children dreams and hope.”