Urban Summer Retreats and Cooling Shelters
Support for Vulnerable Groups During the Heatwave
Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam is implementing a comprehensive range of citizen-focused policies to ensure that everyone can enjoy a "pleasant summer without worries about the heat" amid the ongoing heatwave. Here are some of Changwon's unique summer measures that add coolness to everyday life.
Jang Geumyong, Acting Mayor of Changwon Special City, conducts an on-site inspection of Bukmyeon Gamgye Water Playground.
◆ Local Summer Retreats: Urban Park Water Playgrounds and Gwangam Beach
To allow children and families to enjoy a safe and cool summer getaway close to home, the city is operating water playgrounds at Urban Park for Corporate Love (Seongsan-gu), 3.15 Marine Nuri Park (Masan Happo-gu), and Ancheong Park (Jinhae-gu) free of charge for 52 days from July 4 to August 24. The playgrounds operate from 11:00 AM to 4:40 PM, with six sessions per day (40 minutes of operation, 20 minutes of rest). During the peak season (July 26 to August 10) and on weekends, an additional session will be added, extending hours until 5:30 PM for a total of seven sessions per day.
Gwangam Beach also opened on July 5 and is currently in operation. Gwangam Beach has established itself as a family vacation spot, attracting 50,000 to 70,000 visitors annually thanks to its mild seawater and shallow depth. The city completed thorough preparations months before opening, including water quality management, deployment of safety personnel, and provision of life jackets, to ensure all visitors can feel safe. Additionally, Gapho Waterside Park has been renovated with nighttime lighting along its walking paths, transforming it into a beautiful urban healing space perfect for evening strolls.
◆ Striving for Zero "Blind Spots" in Heatwave Response
The city recently completed on-site inspections of 952 cooling shelters currently in operation. In particular, for senior centers designated as cooling shelters, the city plans to implement measures such as replacing outdated air conditioning units, expanding support for cooling expenses, and extending opening hours during heatwave advisories.
Furthermore, the city is expanding the number of shade canopies at crosswalks throughout the city to 367 this year. After adding 29 new installations, 18 more will be completed in July, further increasing shaded areas for relief from the heat. Facilities such as water rest areas, cooling fog systems, and riverside stands have also been inspected and are operating normally in preparation for the heatwave.
◆ Customized Cooling Support for Vulnerable Groups
The city is strengthening practical cooling support for low-income households and citizens in welfare blind spots. The city distributed heatwave response items (cooling pants, cool sleeves, and parasols) to health-vulnerable groups and, through the "Hope Dream Changwon Bank" project, provided air conditioners and 100,000 won in cooling expenses to 21 households vulnerable to the heat.
Volunteer organizations participating in the "Sharing! Please Take Care of Summer!" campaign are assembling summer kits containing cool mats, summer blankets, and air circulators, and delivering them to 110 low-income seniors living alone, helping them stay healthy and cool during the summer. In addition, the city plans to distribute ice water to mobile workers (such as delivery and courier workers) during July and August.
◆ Summer Programs for Youth and Families
To help citizens enjoy a healthy summer, the city will offer a variety of programs in July and August, including free movie screenings, concerts, and hands-on activities at local small parks, community centers, and gyms.
Local libraries have also prepared a wide range of special lectures and programs for children and teenagers during the summer vacation, including art and science experiences and career exploration. Changwon Central Library will host a program called "We Are Green Planet Environmental Keepers," encouraging children to think about environmental issues. Seongsan Library, Choi Yoondeok Library, Masan Happo Library, and Masan Hoewon Library will also run unique reading classes linked to books.
During the same period, ten public libraries in Changwon will offer a total of 46 special vacation programs. These include creative board games, creative gifted cube classes, Dream Kids career experiences, summer crafts, science experiment classes, one-day book play classes, book art workshops, and children's cooking classes, among others.
Jang Geumyong, Acting Mayor of Changwon Special City, stated, "We have prepared customized services with no blind spots so that all citizens can enjoy their daily lives safely and comfortably despite the heatwave," adding, "We will continue to listen to citizens and make Changwon a cooler city."
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