A group of fine arts students and a professor at Taipei National University of the Arts is trying to draw attention to idle public facilities — colloquially known as “mosquito halls” because they often turn into mosquito-breeding sites — that are not only a waste of space and resources, but could also present a health hazard.
In a 700-page book titled Mirage: A Sample Survey of Taiwan’s Idle Public Facilities, professor Yao Jui-chung (姚瑞中) and the students highlight 119 empty public facilities and, with the support of a selection of -photographs, seek to determine what the sites were originally intended to be used for and what their actual use has been over the years.
DRAWING ATTENTION
“We will hold a second round of field trips to bring more [government] attention to the problem of mosquito halls,” Yao told reporters after a meeting with Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義).
Wu invited Yao and the students to share their findings with Cabinet officials and provide opinions on how to make better use of idle facilities.
All the sites surveyed by the group were built within the last 20 years and include parking lots, markets, resort sites, art and culture centers, beautification projects, as well as industrial and commercial parks, with total construction costs estimated at NT$47.4 billion (US$1.53 billion).
Asked for comment on the -issue earlier this week, Wu said that some “mosquito halls” could be dismantled and turned into green spaces if it no suitable use could be found for them.
EXPENSIVE TASK
Responding to Wu’s comments, Yao yesterday said the government should take into account that removing idle public facilities would be costly.
“This was one of the reasons we held the survey. Hard-earned taxpayer money was used to build those public facilities. People have the right to know how they have been used and to offer their views on the possible ways to transform the mosquito halls,” Yao said.
PREVENTION TACTICS
Speaking to reporters, Public Construction Commission Minister Fan Liang-shiow (范良銹) said a comprehensive assessment would be held before new public construction projects are carried out to prevent the creation of more mosquito halls.
Lin Hongjohn (林宏璋), an artist and curator of the 2010 Taipei Biennial, said the underlying problem was a lack of imagination within the government.
“They built so many buildings and then failed to put any cultural elements in them,” Lin said.
STATS: Taiwan’s average life expectancy of 80.77 years was lower than that of Japan, Singapore and South Korea, but higher than in China, Malaysia and Indonesia Taiwan’s average life expectancy last year increased to 80.77 years, but was still not back to its pre-COVID-19 pandemic peak of 81.32 years in 2020, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. The average life expectancy last year increased the 0.54 years from 2023, the ministry said in a statement. For men and women, the average life expectancy last year was 77.42 years and 84.30 years respectively, up 0.48 years and 0.56 years from the previous year. Taiwan’s average life expectancy peaked at 81.32 years in 2020, as the nation was relatively unaffected by the pandemic that year. The metric
The inspection equipment and data transmission system for new robotic dogs that Taipei is planning to use for sidewalk patrols were developed by a Taiwanese company, the city’s New Construction Office said today, dismissing concerns that the China-made robots could pose a security risk. The city is bringing in smart robotic dogs to help with sidewalk inspections, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan (李四川) said on Facebook. Equipped with a panoramic surveillance system, the robots would be able to automatically flag problems and easily navigate narrow sidewalks, making inspections faster and more accurate, Lee said. By collecting more accurate data, they would help Taipei
TAKING STOCK: The USMC is rebuilding a once-abandoned airfield in Palau to support large-scale ground operations as China’s missile range grows, Naval News reported The US Marine Corps (USMC) is considering new sites for stockpiling equipment in the West Pacific to harden military supply chains and enhance mobility across the Indo-Pacific region, US-based Naval News reported on Saturday. The proposed sites in Palau — one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — and Australia would enable a “rapid standup of stored equipment within a year” of the program’s approval, the report said, citing documents published by the USMC last month. In Palau, the service is rebuilding a formerly abandoned World War II-era airfield and establishing ancillary structures to support large-scale ground operations “as China’s missile range and magazine
Passengers on Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) will be required to use headphones and make phone calls in gangways under new “quiet travel” rules starting Sept. 22. THSR Chairman Shih Che (史哲) told media that THSR will run a three-month promotional campaign to ensure widespread adoption of the new rules. Those repeatedly ignoring the guidance face the potential termination of their transport contract, which can result in them getting escorted off the train, according to THSR. Shih shared his hope to cultivate an environment conducive to rest and reading for the train’s passengers, stating that these changes aim to “promote self-discipline” among passengers
RSS