The Tainan Cultural Affairs Bureau held a press conference last week to offer a response to suggestions made by civic groups in a petition. They said they are determined to preserve local cultural assets, including scrapping plans to widen the the old Tang Te-chang residence and Hsinmei Street areas, as well as tearing down the Tutsao Bridge. Thanking everyone for their suggestions, the bureau said that communication and discussions would continue.
The Greater Tainan Council passed Taiwan’s first self-government ordinance to revive Tainan’s historic street areas. Yeh Tse-shan, the bureau’s director, said they will start taking action soon and conduct a full-scale survey of the area.
Yeh said that residents in Tainan, commonly known as the cultural capital of Taiwan, do not only cherish official historic architecture, but also care about local historical memories that have been accumulated over the years. He said that it is for this reason that certain local government plans, including the planned expansion of the alley where the Tang Te-chang Residence is located, demolishing the Tutsao Bridge that runs across the Chianan Canal, as well as an expansion project for Hsinmei Street’s Chouchian Alley, will be shelved because the city government is determined to protect and preserve the city’s valuable historical culture.
Photo: Tsai Wen-chu, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者蔡文居
He also said that since the self-government ordinance has passed, they will be able to more effectively and thoroughly preserve important street areas with the help of the city’s Public Works Bureau, the Bureau of Urban Development and public support and participation. In order to establish what area it covers, they will be surveying each district of the city soon, forming a review board and holding public hearings.
Yeh said that the enforcement rules of the ordinance have yet to be established, but that they will begin by gradually setting the scope of the project, which will include what are generally recognized as historic street areas, for example, Anping District’s old settlement area and the area along Shennong Street, and propose these areas to the committee for further discussion.
Lin Chiao-pin, head of the bureau’s cultural infrastructure department, said this ordinance is not compulsory, but that it will provide subsidies for home owners who strive to preserve their historic homes. At the same time, the bureau will actively serve as liaison for cultural figures who can work in the area, bringing new life to historic street areas and allowing house owners to participate in the preservation of historic houses and street areas, he said.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
Photo: Hong Rui-chin, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者洪瑞琴
針對民間團體連署建言，台南市文化局上週召開記者會回應，強調市府在湯德章故居、渡槽橋、新美街拓寬案等保存，都展現捍衛文化資產的決心，感謝各界的建言，也會持續與大家溝通、對話。
另外，市議會也首開先例通過全國第一個「台南市歷史街區振興自治條例」，文化局長葉澤山表示，即日起啟動，展開全面普查。
葉澤山表示，身為台灣歷史文化首都，台南人所珍視的絕非僅止於官方認定的硬體歷史建築，更在乎在地經久累積下來的歷史記憶，因此過去市府的一些規劃，包括湯德章故居因道路拓寬可能不保、水利會擬拆嘉南大圳渡槽橋，以及新美街抽籤巷的拓寬案，都在市府展現捍衛歷史文化價值的決心下喊停，維持下來。
他說，歷史街區條例通過後，透過工務局、都發局及民間的參與，可有效完整保存重要的街區，目前將開始全面進行全市各區普查，也會成立審議委員會、居民公聽會，來界定範圍。
他說，相關實施細則有待擬訂，初期將先進行局部的範圍界定，包括安平聚落、神農街等大家認定的老街區，均將提交委員會討論。
文建科長林喬彬則表示，該條例並不具強制性，但會透過補助獎勵來鼓勵屋主保留老屋，同時也會積極媒合文化藝術工作者進駐，活化老街區，進而讓屋主一起來參與街區老屋的保存。
（自由時報記者蔡文居）
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