Construction of Children's Hall... Completion Targeted for 2026
Deokpungcheon and Sanggokcheon Reborn as Ecological Streams for Walking
Gyeonggi Hanam City (Mayor Lee Hyun-jae) announced on the 2nd that as a result of its all-out efforts to secure external funds for local pending projects and disaster prevention, it has successfully secured a total of 15.4 billion KRW, including 2.2 billion KRW in special grants and 13.2 billion KRW in special adjustment grants for the second half of 2024.
Hanam City achieved a total of 15.4 billion KRW in funding, including 2.2 billion KRW in special grants for the second half of 2024 and 13.2 billion KRW in special adjustment grants. The photo shows Mayor Lee Hyun-jae presiding over the "2024 National and Provincial Budget Securing Emergency Meeting" on January 29. Photo by Hanam City
With this funding secured, Hanam City will be able to accelerate the implementation of major local pending projects, including the campaign pledges of the 8th local government, as well as essential living infrastructure projects, disaster prevention, and convenience facility improvements that citizens have needed.
The major project list includes ▲ 1.3 billion KRW for the construction of Hanam City Children’s Center ▲ 800 million KRW for the Children’s Traffic Park ▲ 500 million KRW for the installation of landscape lighting on the ecological bridge at Seondong IC ▲ 900 million KRW for the construction of stairs on the hiking trail next to KCC ▲ 900 million KRW for the construction of a new pedestrian bridge in front of Shinwoo Elementary School in Gam-il District ▲ 300 million KRW for remodeling Shinjang Tennis Court ▲ 700 million KRW for pump replacement works at Sangokcheon and Deokpungcheon streams ▲ 400 million KRW for replacement of tunnel lights at Jindeung Underpass.
Looking at the main project details, first, the Hanam City Children’s Center is planned to be completed by 2026 and will be developed as a five-story above-ground complex cultural space for children on the site of Misa Senior Welfare Center. It will include facilities where children can enjoy various experiences such as a public-type kids caf?, indoor playground, exhibition space, and play experience rooms.
Additionally, the creation of the Children’s Traffic Park will be accelerated with the secured special adjustment funds. Until now, children in the district had to travel outside the area for traffic safety education, causing inconvenience. Once this project is completed, a hands-on experiential education facility focused on practical training will be established, allowing children to receive safe and systematic education within the region.
Second, the ecological bridge at Seondong IC will be beautifully illuminated with landscape lighting installation. This project has been a continuous concern among residents, and it is expected to enhance the convenience of nighttime users around Seondong IC and further strengthen the city’s brand image. The design and resident opinion collection will be completed by February 2025, with the project finishing by June.
Third, the construction of stairs on the hiking trail next to KCC will proceed. The stairs on the hiking trail next to KCC are mainly used by students of Deokpung Elementary School for commuting and residents of nearby apartments. The steep stairs have posed safety risks, especially during snowfall and rain, leading to frequent slip accidents. In response, Hanam City plans to newly construct a deck ramp by April 2025 to improve safety and accessibility for vulnerable pedestrians such as children and the elderly.
Fourth, a new pedestrian bridge will be constructed in front of Shinwoo Elementary School to ensure the safe commuting route for students in Gam-il District. Many students in Gam-il District have concentrated movement during commuting times, causing bottlenecks on the pedestrian bridge section and difficulties entering the sidewalk during snowfall and rain. The new pedestrian bridge is expected to create a safer commuting environment for students.
Fifth, the long-neglected Shinjang Tennis Court will be transformed. Through this remodeling, safety issues and environmental complaints will be promptly addressed, and to meet the rapidly increasing demand for tennis activities, a safe and pleasant sports environment is planned to be provided with completion targeted for the first half of 2025.
Sixth, the Deokpungcheon and Sangokcheon streams around the old downtown will be reborn as ecological streams where people want to walk. This has been a long-standing resident demand due to dry streambeds caused by aging maintenance water pumps, summer green algae, and odor problems. The pump replacement will create a pleasant environment around the local streams in the old downtown and is expected to improve residents’ quality of life.
Finally, the replacement project for tunnel lights at Jindeung Underpass will provide a comfortable road environment by replacing the old wiring and LED tunnel lights. This electrical facility replacement project aims to prevent fire and blackout risks caused by electrical facilities used for over 15 years and will be rapidly promoted following detailed design services for citizen safety.
Mayor Lee Hyun-jae said, “This year, we did our best to secure special grants and special adjustment grants for citizen safety and convenience to overcome the difficult financial conditions,” adding, “This external fund acquisition was made possible thanks to the active legislative activities and cooperation of local National Assembly members and provincial councilors.”
He continued, “We will continue to focus on securing external funds centered on pending projects desired by citizens, and we will promptly promote the projects funded by the secured budget to contribute to improving citizens’ quality of life.”
Meanwhile, Hanam City has established a proactive response system from early this year by operating a TF team for securing national and provincial funds, conducting related department training and consulting to overcome financial deterioration. It has been making every effort to secure external funds by establishing a detailed strategy from discovering local pending projects to securing funds.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
