Selected for Gangwon-do Decentralization Project... Established in Central Neighborhood Park
Providing Play and Experience Opportunities for Children and Adolescents and Leisure Activities for Adults
Wonju City, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Mayor Won Kang-su), announced on the 29th that it will promote a project to create a Wooden Culture Experience Center on the site of Zone 2 of Jungang Neighborhood Park.
This November, Wonju City was selected for the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Local Transfer Public Project for the Wooden Culture Experience Center project, securing a total project cost of 5.2 billion KRW, including 4.5 billion KRW in provincial funds. Starting next year with architectural competitions and detailed design, the Wooden Culture Experience Center will be established on the site of Zone 2 of Jungang Neighborhood Park, covering Musil-dong and Panbu-myeon.
The wooden culture experience center located on the site of Zone 2, Jungang Neighborhood Park, Wonju-si, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. Image provided by Wonju City Hall
The Wonju Wooden Culture Experience Center plans to operate various wood utilization programs aimed at providing play and experiential learning for infants and youth, as well as leisure activities for adults, by constructing buildings using domestic wood.
The center will be built on a 10,000㎡ site with a two-story building totaling 1,100㎡ in floor area. The first floor will house a Wooden Imagination Playground, an exhibition hall, and offices, while the second floor will include a woodworking experience room, a multipurpose room, and an equipment room. Outside the facility, additional budget will be secured to create a wooden outdoor playground and a forest experience center for young children linked with Jungang Neighborhood Park.
Wooden Culture Experience Centers have been established nationwide since 2003, and as of the end of 2022, 46 centers are in operation across the country. However, they have mostly been located in mountainous or remote areas with poor accessibility, resulting in low usage.
In contrast, the Wonju Wooden Culture Experience Center is situated in a densely populated urban area with excellent accessibility. It is also connected to the Children's Library, Forest Solsaem Learning Center, and outdoor performance hall within Jungang Neighborhood Park, as well as the park’s walking trail included in the Korea Forest Service’s “50 Best National Forest Trails for Walking,” enabling diverse forest recreation and cultural experiences. This makes it an optimal location.
Wonju City has completed preliminary administrative procedures such as local financial investment review and incorporation into the mid-term local financial plan following project selection. Starting next year with architectural planning services, the city will proceed with park development plan changes, basic and detailed designs, aiming to begin construction in 2026 and complete it by 2028.
Mayor Won Kang-su of Wonju stated, “Through the creation of the Wooden Culture Experience Center, we will establish an advanced example of symbolic wooden architecture using eco-friendly wood materials. By linking with Jungang Neighborhood Park, we will contribute to revitalizing the local economy by creating a pleasant and visually rich forest recreation service, as well as expanding cultural and leisure facilities for children to realize Wonju as a ‘Child-Friendly City.’”
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