Seo-gu, Gwangju Revamps Kkum Madang Children's Park with Active Community Input

Covered Sand Playground for Hygiene and Safety
Multipurpose Lawn, Community Garden, and Sheltered Facilities Introduced

Gwangju Seo-gu Office Building View

On February 2, Seo-gu District of Gwangju Metropolitan City announced that the Kkum Madang Children's Park in Hwajeong 3-dong has been reborn as a "Healing Park" where both children and residents can comfortably enjoy, reflecting the opinions of the local community.

Seo-gu is transforming old children's parks into comfortable living spaces with rest and culture through the "Our Neighborhood Healing Park Creation Project." At Kkum Madang Children's Park, new resident convenience facilities and a community garden have been established, including a nature playground.

During the development of Kkum Madang Children's Park, residents expressed various opinions regarding the playground surface materials, such as elastic flooring and sand flooring. Rather than making a unilateral decision, Seo-gu conducted surveys, resident briefings, and on-site feedback sessions to fully incorporate residents' opinions into the space improvement plan.

Seo-gu also considered environmental friendliness while addressing safety and hygiene concerns by replacing the existing sand flooring with eco-friendly materials, such as wood chips and grass planting. Notably, for the first time among local children's parks, a net cover was installed over the dedicated sand playground, allowing children to play in a cleaner and safer environment.

The park's layout was also redesigned so that various generations, including local residents, can use the space together. A multipurpose lawn and a community garden were created, and a shelter was installed to allow year-round use regardless of rain or sunlight, increasing the park's usability. This is being recognized as a model case of incorporating residents' collective opinions into the design of a public space.

After the park opened, nearby kindergarten staff and residents responded positively, saying, "Now we have a park where we can safely send our children," and "With the improved park, it feels like the whole neighborhood has come alive."

Lee Ikang, Mayor of Seo-gu, stated, "Urban parks are living spaces closest to the daily lives of residents," adding, "We will continue to create spaces for rest and leisure within residents' daily routines by reflecting their voices."