Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) announcement that he wants to rename a road “Lin Yang Road” (麟洋路) in honor of two-time Olympic badminton gold medalists Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and Lee Yang (李洋) has sparked a heated debate online.
Chiang on Friday said that the city government would rename Lane 361, Fuxing N Road (復興北路361巷) in front of Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Junior High School in honor of Wang and Lee, who both graduated from the school.
That would commemorate their “fight till the end” spirit for students at the school, he said, adding that the spirit would also become part of Taipei’s DNA.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
However, many people on Facebook questioned the plan, with comments asking if it was necessary or if Chiang had obtained Taipei residents’ approval, while others questioned why other athletes have not also been considered for such honors or whether anybody should be “deified” in such a manner.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) yesterday said that Chiang is trying to piggyback on the popularity of Wang and Lee.
The former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime used the names of political leaders or locations in China for roads in Taiwan, Wu said, adding that Taiwan should turn the page on that practice as the nation pursues transitional justice.
Chiang yesterday defended the plan, saying it would honor the spirit of the badminton duo and recognize their accomplishment in becoming the first pair to win the men’s doubles title twice at the Olympic Games.
They are Taiwanese heroes, the country’s warriors, who brought recognition to Taiwan on the international stage, he said.
He said he hopes everyone can support the plan, as it would encourage Taipei residents to carry on the duo’s Olympic spirit.
According to the city’s road naming regulations, if a proposal is initiated, it needs to obtain signatures from at least 20 percent of the residents and be discussed at an internal review meeting, the Taipei City Government said.
After the review meeting, at least half of the residents must approve the plan, so the change might take some time, it said.
Additional reporting by Yu Chao-fu
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