2024-07-25 17:41:26
The Ocheon Green Square and Green Island, which were created by Suncheon City (Mayor Noh Kwan-gyu) for the 2023 Suncheon Bay International Garden Expo, are established as the ‘citizens’ living room.’
When Suncheon City was preparing for the 2023 Expo, it minimized the budget invested in facilities and sculptures that would only be used for the event and become mere eye candy. It adopted a strategy of transforming the entire city into a clean and bright green city, imagining the post-Expo era.
As a result, the four-lane road where cars used to run has become a green playground where children can run around freely, and the detention space that was rarely used except in times of disaster has become an open plaza for all citizens. The garden expo is over, but its legacy remains intact in the arms of citizens.
As a wide plaza has been created in the middle of the city, citizens from all walks of life are coming together to create a new plaza culture. The citizens of Suncheon are filling the empty green plaza with culture and memories.
▶ Children can play in the water, adults can enjoy the rock festival! This summer, spend your vacation at Ocheon Green Square.
This summer, which is unusually hot and expensive, is preparing an amazing summer vacation that everyone from children to adults can enjoy for ‘0 won’ at Ocheon Green Square and Green Island.
The ‘Ocheon Water Island’, which was first introduced during the 2023 Garden Expo, has returned with more abundance after reorganization. Based on the opinions of last year’s users, shade canopies have been expanded, and air domes and water cannons for children have been installed. Pools with different depths for each age group have also been installed to allow safer water play. Water Island, which distributes tickets on a first-come, first-served basis, has been receiving favorable reviews since its first weekend of opening, attracting families looking to enjoy a summer vacation in the city.
On August 9th, an exciting ‘Garden Rock Festival’ is prepared to blow away even the hot tropical nights. The lineup of performers is composed of a lineup targeting all generations, from veteran singer ‘Choi Baek-ho’ to ‘Daybreak’ and the band ‘Touched’, which features vocalist Yoon Min, who boasts nine consecutive wins on King of Mask Singer. Suncheon City plans to present a high-quality cultural performance to all citizens and visitors to the plaza on that day.
▶ A high-quality plaza culture created by citizens of the green city together and individually
Ocheon Green Square is emerging as a new ‘outdoor cheering mecca’. Suncheon City will hold an outdoor cheering event today, the 28th, at Ocheon Green Square for the women’s team archery event in which national archery team member Nam Su-hyeon from Suncheon City Hall will participate. A midsummer night’s music concert is also planned before the game. As the whole world is paying attention to Korean archery, the citizens’ cheering and interest are expected to be hot.
In addition, in line with the demand that has increased to the point where one in four households in Korea owns a pet, Ocheon Green Square and Green Island are operated as ‘pet-friendly zones’ where pets are allowed. Following its designation as a pet-friendly tourist city this year, Suncheon City also held a ‘dog night run’ with dogs in the Ocheon Green Square area, receiving a great response from tourists from all over the country looking for a pet-friendly trip.
In addition, citizens enjoy a picnic with their families from sunset or walk barefoot on the 2.6 km long Masato Road, each enjoying a break in the plaza in their own way. The lotus flowers blooming beautifully and abundantly here and there on the water will also be a beautiful sight for citizens visiting the plaza from summer to fall.
▶ 2024 Republic of Korea Land and Housing Exhibition Minister’s Award, Beyond Korea, a World-Class Landmark!
Ocheon Green Square and Green Island were honored with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Award at the 16th Republic of Korea Land and Infrastructure Expo in 2024 for expanding the city’s green belt through creative use of space and presenting the standard for a clean and bright green city that future cities should pursue. The value of these two spaces, which had been receiving favorable reviews from citizens since their opening in 2023, saying, “We are not jealous of Europe,” has been recognized at the national level.
Suncheon’s wide open nature and the blue plaza that has never been seen anywhere in Korea are also giving the metropolitan area visitors who are used to cold asphalt and dense buildings an opportunity to think about a new way of life. Suncheon City plans to steadily increase the value of Ocheon Green Plaza and Green Island so that they can be reborn as world-class landmarks that go beyond Suncheon and Korea, like New York’s ‘Central Park’ and Germany’s Rhine River waterfront space ‘Rheinuperpromenade’.
Mayor Roh Gwan-gyu of Suncheon said, “In an era of local extinction, we can never survive by following the metropolitan area. So, rather than imitating big cities, Suncheon tried to create a unique model of a clean and bright green city, and that choice is paying off.”
He continued, “Rather than filling the space to the brim, we left it empty in the hopes that the citizens of Suncheon would create a dignified plaza culture in the open space themselves.” He added, “I hope that the citizens will work together to nurture this space so that it can be loved not only in Suncheon but also around the world, with the pride and confidence that we have a space that would not be lacking anywhere in the world.”
Economy Queen Reporter Hongmi Kim / Photo Suncheon City
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2024-07-25 17:41:26