Mayor Baek Kyunghyun: "Imunanhosu Park to Be Transformed into a Waterside Park for Citizens' Happiness"

Guri City Transforms Imunanhosu Park into a
Comprehensive Urban Cultural and Healing Destination
Enhancing Residents' Health and Leisure

On January 23, Guri City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Baek Kyunghyun) announced that it will actively promote the expansion of facilities and installation of amenities at Imunanhosu Park, a representative relaxation space for citizens, with the goal of completing its transformation into a new urban healing destination within the first half of this year.

Imunanhosu Park Facility Expansion Project. Provided by Guri City

Imunanhosu Park, beloved by people of all ages, has faced limitations in improving its environment due to restrictions on the installation of park and convenience facilities, as it was not designated as a legally recognized urban planning facility (urban park).

To address these issues and provide citizens with a more pleasant place to relax, Guri City initiated the process to amend its urban management plan. In April 2024, the city officially designated Imunanhosu Park as an 'urban park (waterside park)' and established a park development plan, thereby launching the facility expansion project in earnest.

This project focuses on the park's waterside area, aiming to create high-demand facilities identified through resident surveys, such as a waterside stage, wooden deck paths along the water, a barefoot walking trail, and public restrooms. The goal is to simultaneously enhance the park's health, leisure, and cultural functions.

Guri City has secured external funding, including special grants and special adjustment grants, to build public restrooms and a barefoot walking trail. The city also plans to install a waterside stage to create an open cultural space for festivals, cultural events, busking, and small-scale performances. Additionally, wooden deck walking trails adjacent to the lake will be constructed, and lotus flowers and various herbaceous plants will be planted to offer citizens a variety of sights and experiences.

Furthermore, as part of this project, the bottom of the lake's central area has been improved to create a stable habitat for fish, and aquatic plants such as bulrush, which had previously proliferated excessively, have been managed.

By reinforcing the drainage barriers, the city has secured a higher water level and a larger water surface area than before, allowing citizens to enjoy a healthy ecosystem and natural scenery where migratory birds and aquatic life coexist.

To make the park an inviting place even at night, the city secured an additional 200 million won in special adjustment grants in December of last year and is planning a landscape lighting improvement project. Through this, Imunanhosu Park will be developed into a nighttime attraction, which is expected to increase park visitors and help revitalize the local economy in nearby cafes and commercial districts.

Mayor Baek Kyunghyun stated, "Through the Imunanhosu Park facility expansion project, we will provide citizens with a safer and more pleasant space to relax and inject new vitality into the local community." He added, "By enhancing the quality of parks and green spaces where people can experience nature and rest within their daily lives, and by equipping them with diverse functions, we aim to bring about joyful changes that will make all citizens happier."