An Atayal hunting trail on Taichung’s Wujiajianan Mountain (武加加難山) is to reopen in December after renovations are completed, the city’s Tourism and Travel Bureau said on Wednesday.
The bureau reported on the project’s progress during an inspection by Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕), who also visited healthcare workers in the Lishan (梨山) area to thank them for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Using NT$59 million (US$1.91 million) in funding from the central government, the bureau is updating and expanding the 2.5km trail, which has historically been used for hunting by residents of the Atayal village of Sqoyaw (Huanshan, 環山).
Photo: Chang Hsuan-che, Taipei Times
Work is expected to finish by the end of the year, it said.
The ancient hunting trail is being renovated with a focus on sustainability and reducing the use of artificial construction materials, the bureau said.
In addition to rest areas, informational placards are to be posted telling the oral histories of Sqoyaw residents, it said.
The stories would describe traditional hunting practices, and introduce locations such as an archery practice area and village remains, it said.
The trail is to serve as a destination for tourists and a resource for residents to pass on their culture, the bureau said.
Liao Wei-chih (廖偉志), director of the bureau’s engineering division, said that the trail follows the original Atayal hunting path in a loop encircling Wujiajianan Mountain.
The trail section with the Sijielan River (司界蘭溪) suspension bridge might also be extended to connect to Sqoyaw village, making the hiking network in the Lishan area more complete, he added.
The renovation is part of wider efforts by the bureau to develop tourism opportunities in the Lishan area of the Central Mountain Range.
Plans also include a New Year’s Eve promotion, subsidies for tour groups and improvements to lodging, the bureau said.
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