"Open 365 Days a Year"
"A Panoramic Han River View Overlooking Yeouido and Bamseom"
"Even an Observatory for Astronomical Observation"
The Mapo 365 Community Center (98 Tojeong-ro) has opened inside the Seoul Power Plant (Danginri Power Plant) in Dangin-dong, Mapo District, Seoul. The official opening is scheduled for November 1, 2025, and it is currently in a trial operation phase. The center spans from one basement level to five above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 7,613 square meters. The total project cost amounted to 38.8 billion won.
The name "Mapo 365 Community Center" was chosen because it is open 365 days a year. Initially, the center was planned to be built at the entrance of the Danginri Power Plant, but Park Gangsu, Mayor of Mapo District, relocated it to the riverside, allowing for unobstructed, permanent views of the Han River from the caf?, fitness center, group exercise room, astronomy education room, and outdoor observatory deck.
On September 23, at the Mapo 365 Community Center, Mayor Park met with reporters and said, "It is significant that a space that had caused inconvenience for 100 years due to the power plant has now been transformed into a place of recovery and unity for all residents."
A Unique Public Facility in Mapo, Open 365 Days a Year
The Mapo 365 Community Center was created by utilizing resident convenience facilities within the Danginri Power Plant. During its establishment, the opinions of residents from nearby Seogang-dong and Hapjeong-dong were gathered, and the requests of the local coexistence committee were reflected. Instead of the original plan to build a three-story facility without an underground parking lot, with a swimming pool and futsal field on the roof, an underground parking lot was added, along with a fitness center, sauna, astronomy education facility, and rooftop observatory not included in the initial design, so that more residents could benefit.
Mayor Park explained, "During this process, we signed an agreement with the design firm, construction company, and construction project management team not to increase construction costs. As a result, we expanded the total floor area from the originally planned 5,260 square meters to over 7,600 square meters, while saving approximately 8.4 billion won in increased construction costs."
During the Chuseok holiday (October 3-9), the center will open its second-floor fitness center and fourth-floor gymnasium (for basketball and badminton) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On regular days, it operates daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mayor Park stated, "After taking office, I noticed that public sports facilities were often useless because they were not open during the evenings and holidays, which are the times most needed by office workers. By improving staff welfare and implementing shift work, we have created a space where residents can smile, relax, and enjoy themselves every day of the year."
On the first floor, there is a plaza where residents can naturally gather and communicate, along with a caf?, restaurant, and various retail facilities. The second floor houses a fitness center and sauna as part of a health management center. The third floor features multipurpose rooms and a group exercise room, while the fourth floor has a multipurpose gymnasium, providing spaces for residents to exercise while overlooking the Han River. The fifth-floor outdoor observatory deck, taking advantage of its riverside location, offers a relaxing view of the Han River and Bamseom.
Panoramic Han River Views and Even an Observatory
The rooftop of the center features the Mapo 365 Observatory. The observatory is a 5-meter diameter circular dome equipped with a 200mm refracting telescope and a 100mm solar telescope in the observation room, allowing for observation of the moon, stars, and planets. Outside the observation room, there are two auxiliary telescopes, five practice telescopes, and three sets of binoculars for viewing.
Astronomy experts have been specially hired at the Mapo 365 Observatory to provide basic astronomy education, astronomical observation and telescope practice, and hands-on classes such as making educational kits. Advance reservations for day and night educational programs are being accepted through the Seoul Public Service Reservation website, and these programs are being run on a trial basis.
Mapo District also plans to improve access to the Han River by planting grass and installing walkways on adjacent land connecting the center to the river. In addition, by linking the Red Road from Hongdae Entrance Station, the Hapjeong Sky Road commercial district, and the Mapo Circular Train Bus, the district aims to make the center more accessible for residents and contribute to revitalizing the local economy.
Mayor Park stated, "We will continue to develop and implement policies to improve quality of life, so that residents can feel proud to live in Mapo."
Park Gangsu, mayor of Mapo District, is delivering a commemorative greeting at the opening ceremony of the Mapo 365 Community Center held on the 10th. Provided by Mapo District.
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