New Taipei City’s change of heart regarding a junior-high school sports field in the city’s Linkou District (林口) slated to be used as the dining area for the 2017 Summer Universiade ran against the “moral principles of brotherhood,” Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday.
Ko said his government planned to convert the area in New Taipei City Municipal Linkou Junior High School into the restaurant for the event, which is to be hosted by Taipei in August next year.
“We took into consideration that the conversion of the facility into a dining space would cause some inconvenience for students during construction, which was why we earmarked a ‘good neighbor’ budget of NT$200 million [US$6.13 million] to help the school rebuild its badminton court, athletics field and basketball arena,” Ko said on the sidelines of a traditional market festival in Taipei yesterday afternoon.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
“Waiting until after the budget has been allocated and related construction projects have been contracted out to tell us you do not want to lend us the space is an outright violation of the moral principles of brotherhood,” Ko said.
The Taipei City Government’s plan called for a large tent that could accommodate 3,500 people to be erected on the school’s campus, a project that would require pavement to be replaced and six months to complete.
The project, which was scheduled to begin after next year’s winter vacation, has recently met with opposition from students, parents and school faculty, who have accused the Taipei City Government of finalizing its plan without thoroughly communicating with them.
NOISE POLLUTION
They also expressed concern that construction could cause noise pollution and affect students’ rights to education.
Taipei later offered to help the school install air conditioning units and soundproof windows, as well as form a community basketball team and construct an activity center, but negotiations have ground to a halt.
ALTERNATIVES
Taipei Public Works Department Director Peng Cheng-sheng (彭振聲) said the department has put forward two alternatives: the basement of a public housing building in Linkou and an open area beside Linkou Baseball Field.
“The open area next to the baseball field covers 1,600m2 and belongs to the Taipei City Government, which means we would only need Mayor Ko’s consent to relocate the dining space there,” Peng said.
New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) said his government hopes to minimize the impact on students and plans to communicate with Taipei due to growing concern over the project.
“There are always alternatives. We hope that dialogue will lead to a great success for the Universiade,” Chu said.
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