Wude Temple’s (武德宮) application to commission a private company to operate a restaurant on its grounds has raised concern about the importance of safeguarding heritage sites, with some members of the public calling on the Changhua County Government to weigh its options carefully.
Built in 1929, the temple was used as a practice arena for kendo training. After World War II, it was turned into a martyrs’ shrine.
The temple was repaired after it was damaged in the 921 Earthquake in 1999 and designated a county-level heritage site.
Huang Chih-cheng (黃志誠), a local resident, said the place was formerly a dojo for kendo practitioners and the architectural style might not be fitting for a restaurant.
Since the temple is a martyrs’ shrine, it would be strange to have people wining and dining in front of the plaques of deceased soldiers, Huang said.
Kendo practitioner Chan Chi-yuan (詹志淵) said the temple’s wooden flooring is showing signs of sinking and cannot support a restaurant with visitors walking around.
Some people have also expressed concern over the need to preserve local history and culture, citing unsuccessful attempts in other cities and counties to transform historical buildings into modern restaurants.
If the county government approves the plan to build a restaurant on site, the building would lose its historical significance, others said.
Addressing the public’s concern, Changhua County Cultural Affairs Director Wu Lan-mei (吳蘭梅) said that if the application passes review, Wude Temple would adopt the build-operate-transfer model. That means the county government would invest in the construction and commission a private company to operate it.
Each operating lease would be limited to three years and any business transacted before the legal operation date would not count toward the three-year contract, Wu said, as the project has been sitting on the back burner for eight years.
If the bureau sought to terminate the contract by itself, it would have to pay fines, she added.
The county government understands public concern that housing a restaurant and allowing cooking on site could harm the building, but a shelter would be erected behind the temple to serve as the kitchen and storage area.
Given these restrictions, the temple might opt for a cafe-like restaurant that serves light meals, Wu said, but added that it was up to experts to give the final verdict on the review.
The county government is the neutral third party in the matter, but will ensure that the county heritage site will not be harmed, Wu said.
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