Taipei City Government

Mayor Ko Wen-je attended the press conference celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Longshan Creative Industry B2 Site.

During his address, the mayor noted that Longshan Temple is an important temple for both Wanhua and Taipei City. Statistics show that roughly 3 million visitors stop by the religious center every year. One of his visions during his election campaign is to stimulate the local economy of Wanhua District if visitors can extend their time they spend at Longshan Temple from 15 minutes to 60 minutes.

He noted that one of the challenges to revitalize the neighborhood is what to do with the homeless people in the area. While many people told him that there’s no possible solution to the problem, through the effort of Commissioner Hsu and the staff members of the Department of Social Welfare, the city government is able to settle the homeless problem which has existed for over 20 years. It allows the homeless people to remain while at the same time passers-by won’t be bothered by their presence.

As for the lesson learned, the mayor pointed out that something that looks impossible for a single agency may be manageable with additional involvement by the departments of civil affairs, environmental protection, and the police.

Regarding the site, the mayor said that the Department of Cultural Affairs was assigned the duty in September of 2016. He was pleased that the site was able to open on time in December. Over the past year, the Longshan B2 site has attracted over 400,000 visitors – including his office staff on impromptu inspection trips.

As for differences between Longshan B2 site and other creative industry sites, he explained that partner businesses and shops have been screened to ensure they demonstrate aspect of “local elements.” There are also performances and exhibitions by groups such as Yan Chai Hospital and Taipei Ching-ho Lion Dance Troupe.