By Chang Tsung-chiu
Staff reporter
Crowds of visitors have continued to swell on the new skywalk along Changhua County’s Baguashan (八卦山), sparking debate over whether the county government should follow through with promises to begin ticketing next month.
The 1km-long skywalk, which opened on July 10, is the nation’s longest, passing over an ecological park and the county’s fine arts museum before ending at the National Changhua Living Art Center, which has seen visitors surge as the result of a connecting entrance.
Huge weekend crowds have yet to subside as the three months of free entry promised by Changhua County Commissioner Wei Ming-ku (魏明谷) draw to a close, with an endless stream of visitors packing the skywalk over last week’s Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.
“There are still a ton of people,” said a visitor from the county’s Shetou Township (社頭) surnamed Hsiao (蕭), adding that he had returned in hopes that traffic had eased after the number of people kept him from walking the full length of the skywalk at its opening.
A food vendor said crowds thin during the day on weekdays, only to swell again during the evenings, while the entire walkway is packed with visitors on weekends and holidays, requiring police to direct traffic at crossings.
The size of the crowds should make it feasible to begin ticketing to raise funds for maintenance, a resident surnamed Wu (吳) said, adding that issues of trash and safety on and around the skywalk have been problematic.
However, many vendors voiced concern that ticketing could reduce tourist numbers and discourage local residents from using the skywalk for exercise.
Changhua Department of City and Tourism director Tien Fei-peng (田飛鵬) said his department was in the process of gathering opinions on ticketing from tourists, residents and others. The information collected is to be sent to Wei before Oct. 10 for final deliberation.
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