Mayor Announces Phase One Completion of Greater Gangqian Park Project
On April 12, Mayor Ko Wen-je attended the grand opening of Greater Gangqian Park in Neihu District.
During his address, Ko noted that the park is infused with forward-looking concepts, such as garden city, permeable pavements, and inclusive playgrounds. He believes that parks are meant to be inviting and well-designed, stressing that his administration is willing to pay for good design to encourage the development of local design industry.
The new park sits at the former site of Taipei Flower Market and takes up an area of 2.5 hectares. Construction began in August 2017, taking only seven months to complete phase one of the construction spanning 1.8 hectares. Phase two involves the construction of an underground parking and amenities. The completion of the park brings the City a step closer to the realization of Neihu Science Park 2.0 project.
Deputy Mayor Charles Lin remarked that the Greater Gangqian Park is inspired by the idea of caring for both humans and environment, highlighting four aspects: general purposes, eco friendliness, sustainability education, and connection with local communities. It is a park where visitors – young and old – can relax and enjoy, said Lin.
The idea of “less is more” and “stress reliever” sets the tone of the park, minimizing the amount of artificial alternations and facility installation in the park. An extensive grassland covering a total area of 4,100 square meters allows visitors to enjoy space-out moments while gazing at the skyline.
The vegetation design is another feature of the park. Trees native to low-altitude areas in northern Taiwan are planted to create a self-sustaining environment in the interest of preservation and rich landscape. Visitors can enjoy sceneries spanning different colors through the seasons.