In an attempt to attract more tourists to the historic town of Beidou (北斗), Changhua County, the township office is building a park for wedding photographs along the bank of the Jhuoshuei River (濁水溪).
Named “Heartbeat Square” (心動廣場), the site was originally part of a riverside park, but fell into decay through a lack of maintenance, Beidou Township Office chief secretary Chen Shih-lin (陳世麟) said. Chen said the office asked the Tourism Bureau for money to rejuvenate the area.
To create a suitably romantic atmosphere, the office designed a pink heart-shaped corridor, pink lovers’ seats and a pink Christmas tree-shaped decorative light.
As a result of its efforts to create a romantic setting, the office hopes the square will become a popular spot for wedding photographs.
Beidou Mayor Yang Li-hsiang (楊麗香) said most visitors to Beidou come to taste local delicacies or visit the historic Dian-an Gong (奠安宮) temple, and she hopes the new square will draw a larger tourist crowd.
As many smartphone users like to “check in” at places they visit, Yang said she is confident that Heartbeat Square would become the town’s No. 1 tourist spot and a popular place for couples to “check in.”
To promote the square, as well as tourism in Beidou in general, Yang said she has asked the county government to organize group weddings at the square, and the township is also planning an itinerary to link the square with gourmet and historic spots.
While supporting the new attraction, Beidou’s Side Borough (西德) Warden Huang Chih-chung (黃志忠) reminded the township office that maintenance and event planning are also important.
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