Ownership and Management of Dapsimni GandeMe Park Transferred from Seoul City to Dongdaemun-gu

26-Year History GandeMe Park Ownership and Management Transferred from Seoul City to Dongdaemun-gu
Transformed into a Resident-Customized Park with Expanded Resident Participation Programs and Underground Parking Lot Construction

Dongdaemun-gu (District Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) announced plans to transform Gande-me Park, located in Dapsimni-dong, into a resident-tailored park following its transfer from the Seoul Metropolitan Government to Dongdaemun-gu.

Gande-me Park spans a large area of 15,179.7㎡ and is equipped with various amenities including a loess trail, an octagonal pavilion, children's playground facilities, a basketball court, a badminton court, and fitness equipment. The park is home to 6,465 trees such as pine and Korean nut pine, as well as approximately 13,000 herbaceous plants, allowing visitors to enjoy the beauty of nature throughout all four seasons.

Additionally, the park features a fountain and an artificial stream, providing a refreshing natural space loved by residents even within the urban environment.

The site where Gande-me Park is located was once a mixed area of farmland and small settlements, left as an empty lot due to urban development. It marked a turning point when it was designated as a park in the mid-1990s as part of urban planning.

In March 1997, it was designated as an urban planning facility and named "Gande-me Neighborhood Park." The name ‘Gande-me’ originates from an old place name in the Dapsimni area, symbolizing a connection between the past and present. Construction began at the end of 1997 and was completed in July 1998, establishing the park as a resting place for residents. Until last year, it was managed by the Jungbu Green City Project Office and the Northern Park Leisure Center.

In January 2025, ownership and management rights of Gande-me Park were transferred from the Seoul Metropolitan Government to Dongdaemun-gu. Taking this opportunity, Dongdaemun-gu plans to manage the park more comfortably and safely by reflecting residents' opinions and expand resident participation through various programs. In particular, programs emphasizing local identity by re-examining the park’s history and the meaning of the old place name ‘Gande-me’ are also being planned.

Dongdaemun-gu will enhance resident convenience by constructing an underground parking lot beneath Gande-me Park. This aims to secure the insufficient parking spaces in the area and improve park accessibility. Construction is scheduled to begin in April 2025 and is targeted for completion by December 2026. The underground parking lot will have one basement level with a total of 85 parking spaces and a total floor area of 3,508㎡, and will be developed in a way that minimizes damage to the green spaces and facilities above ground.

Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, stated, “I hope Gande-me Park will be reborn as a space that opens the future together with residents while preserving memories of the past,” and added, “We will make it a vibrant park visited by many residents.”