[Interview] Park Junhee, Gwanak-gu Mayor: "Adding Rest to Residents' Daily Lives through Healing and Garden City Development"

Operation of Nakseongdae Football Stadium Begins in March, Nanggok Park Golf Course to Open in First Half of the Year
...Five New Theme Parks Utilizing Gwanaksan Neighborhood Parks to Be Established, Full Efforts to Expand Garden Culture in Local Communities
...Children’s Water Playground and Hwangtotgil Trails to Meet Growing Demand for Nature-Based Leisure Infrastructure

"In modern society, parks and gardens are valued not just as green spaces but as 'complex spaces for leisure and rest.' In response, we established the Park and Leisure Bureau last year, and this year we aim to actively create 'Gwanak, a healing city where flowers and trees can be seen and water flows when you open the window."

Park Junhee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, expressed this intention in an interview, emphasizing the creation of a healing city with greenery and rest.

The district is responding to the rapidly increasing demand for leisure culture infrastructure by creating a daily life where residents can encounter gardens wherever they open their doors, promoting the health and happiness of its citizens.

The first projects to launch the healing garden and city Gwanak initiative this year are the 'Nakseongdae Football Stadium' and 'Gwanak Park Golf Course.' These are part of the '365 Sports for All' program, a key project of the 8th local government administration aimed at expanding the base of community sports. First, the district will hold the opening ceremony for the long-awaited Nakseongdae Football Stadium on February 15, with operations starting in March.

The football stadium, located on a conveniently accessible site in the Nakseongdae area (Bongcheon-dong San 40-2), covers 5,326㎡. It includes one artificial turf football field along with convenience facilities such as showers and parking lots for residents.

The Gwanak Park Golf Course is part of the 'Gwanaksan Park 24 Project,' which creates 24 neighborhood parks blending the natural environment and culture of Gwanaksan Mountain. It is a 'mountain-type park golf course' utilizing the natural terrain. The course, covering 11,285㎡ with 9 holes, is under construction and aims to open in the first half of this year. Nearby, spaces such as rest areas and walking trails will be provided for families to enjoy nature and leisure together. Mayor Park explained, "The Nanggok area of Gwanaksan Mountain had significant resident inconvenience due to waste landfill and illegal parking, so we devoted much attention and effort to improving the local environment. Once the Gwanak Park Golf Course is completed, residents are expected to enjoy a safer and more pleasant living environment."

Additionally, the district plans to establish four new parks and various themed gardens this year, offering residents green comfort and rest spaces within the city.

Three specialized parks with themes will be created in the foothills of Gwanaksan Mountain at ▲ Nanu District ▲ Nanhyang Forest Path District ▲ Nakseongdae District. In Namhyeon-dong Gwaneumsa District, one 'hub park' will be established to expand balanced park infrastructure by region and contribute to residents' leisure and health promotion.

Striving to realize a 'Garden City' where daily life and nature harmonize, the district will add vitality to residents' lives by creating new spaces such as the 'Healing Garden' with hydrangea gardens and rose tunnels at Nakseongdae Park's outdoor playground, and the 'Four Seasons Lively Garden' utilizing idle land on Nanggok-ro. Mayor Park added, "To meet the increased demand for forest leisure, we are actively promoting the creation of a 'natural recreation forest' where residents can enjoy the pristine natural environment of Gwanaksan Mountain right in the heart of Seoul."

The 'Children’s Water Playground' and 'Hwangtotgil' (Red Clay Trails), which have become popular recreational spots for residents, will also play a role in building a happy healing and garden city. Especially, the 'Gwanaksan Children’s Water Playground,' opened last year, is ideal for family visitors as it allows them to enjoy various healing courses of Gwanaksan Mountain such as the 'natural valley water playground' and 'trail.'

The eleven Hwangtotgil trails, created in various locations, are expected to serve as 'complex healing spaces' where neighbors can interact while walking barefoot on the soil amid the fresh air provided by the greenery. Mayor Park Junhee stated, "Parks and gardens are important elements that create ecological environments and improve residents' quality of life. We will do our utmost to expand green infrastructure and continuously develop related content to realize the vision of a healing and garden city where residents are happy, making Gwanak a joyful place to live."