Dozens of residents from Taipei’s Tianmu area (天母) and Trees Party activists yesterday protested against a NT$130 million (US$3.91 million) park renovation project by the Taipei City Government, which they said would relocate about 100 old trees and vast amounts of vegetation in Tienhe Park (天和) and Donghe Park (東和) in Tianmu.
The Taipei Parks and Street Lights Office yesterday conducted an on-site inspection at Tienhe Park to negotiate with residents and assess the condition of trees and facilities to be removed or renovated.
Residents said that they have launched a signature collection campaign to stop the renovation project, adding that Tienhe Park houses a well that is more than 300 years old and is one of the eight spectacles of Shilin District (士林), while the park is also a habitat for Taiwan blue magpies, a protected species generally considered Taiwan’s national bird.
Renovation would replace vegetation in the park with art installations and recreation facilities, affecting local ecology and hydrology, they said.
“We do not want art installations. We want trees and vegetation. Big budget is big disaster,” a local resident surnamed Lu (盧) said.
Residents do not oppose park maintenance or tree care, but they are against meaningless and extravagant renovation, such as removing trees for art installations, or replacing grass with concete, Lu said, adding that Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) does not need to continue an ill-devised policy established by former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌).
Trees Party Chairman Pan Han-chiang (潘翰疆) said: “The renovation is part of the World Design Capital project, but its design is a recipe for disaster.”
Pan said the office planned to relocate 104 trees out of the 375 in Tienhe Park deemed unhealthy or dangerous, but the office should have arborists examine the trees to preserve them, instead of spending millions of New Taiwan dollars on demolishing them.
Office Deputy Chief Engineer Mo Hua-jung (莫華榕) said the office had already canceled plans to relocate the 104 trees after a meeting with residents last month, adding that only 15 trees considered dangerous might be removed pending further negotiation with residents.
Most of the budget would go to building more “green” spaces to raise the park’s greenery coverage from 75 percent to 85 percent, as well as leveling uneven ground, repaving the ground with water-permeable materials and preserving the well in the park, Mo said, adding that most residents agreed with the office’s plan.
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