Taichung City government, in commemoration of the opening of elevated railroad tracks, kicked off the “New Life in an Old City Exposition” beginning on October 6. The expo features a series of activities like concerts, lantern lighting at Liuchuan, light shows, song singing, outdoors movies, and marketplaces. These various activities will present the new faces of the old city. It has invited famed singer Chen Shen to sing at Liuchuan in the opening event. The activities will give its citizens an opportunity to experience the glory of this city over the last hundred years.

Today, the 3rd, Taichung City government held a press conference to announce the “New Life in an Old City Exposition” and the first batch of concerts. Deputy Mayor Zhang Guan-yao and Su Zhen-lin, director of Taichung Section Transportation Operations and Ye Ren-he, director of Taichung Rail Station, both of Taiwan Railway Administration, and Chairman Liu Shao-hui of Xinmin Senior High School jointly clipped the train ticket, for the chartered train for the Expo, with New Taichung Station printed on it. This symbolized that the new life of the old city has left the station. City Culture Bureau Deputy Director Huang Ming-heng, Information Bureau Deputy Director Lv Mei-li, and Water Resources Bureau Deputy Director Han Nai-bing also attended.

Deputy Mayor Zhang indicated that he has lived in Taichung for close to 70 years. He witnessed the rise and the fall of the city. Since taking office, Mayor Lin Jia-long initiated his three-pronged plan to reinvigorate the city. His plan has been successful in bringing the old glory back to the city, the glory that long-time residents like him still remember.

Deputy Mayor Zhang pointed out that, before the era of high-speed rail, Taichung Rail Station was a place where the paths of many Taichung citizens and out-of-town people studying or working in Taichung crossed. Commuters lined up neatly in front of the rail station, waiting to walk to their schools, may very well still be in the memory of many people here. Rowing boats in Sun Moon Pond in Taichung Park was once a common experience that dating lovers and couples shared as a way to strengthen their relationships.

Deputy Mayor Zhang emphasized that Taichung City government, after the completion of the railroad track elevation project, has kept this hundred-year-old station that has spanned three generations. It has cleaned and refashioned Luchuan and Liuchuan. It has also dredged the Sun Moon Pond. These initiatives have reinvigorated and breathed new life into the old city. Whether you are a long-time resident or a newcomer, you will appreciate how important the reinvigoration initiatives are for the development of Taichung.

Furthermore, the city also announced in today’s press conference that the first batch of activities, “Rail tracks, blooming flowers--Concerts in front of the Rail Station”, will feature the joint appearance of Taiwan Youth Wind Band, a four-time winner of outstanding performing team award, Taichung Artists Chamber Choir, winners of two gold medals in Rome, Xinming Senior High School, a long-time supporter of cultivating artistic performers. They are surely to bring the culture of the old days back to Taichung Rail Station.

On the elevated railroad tracks between Fengyuan and Daqing are five existing rail stations with another five new stations coming online at the end of October. Those ten stations, closely together, allow train transportation to take on the features of rapid transits. The Songju and Daqing rail stations will intersect with the Green line of Taichung mass rapid transit, making it easy for passengers to transfer between the two systems. Taichung City government pointed out that the public space and the automobile and pedestrian traffic in front of the old rail station had been quite confusing and disorderly. City government worked with Guoguang and Taichung bus companies to move them to the new bus terminal, and it worked with Taiwan Railway Administration to build the plaza in front of the rail station. Now the place has a fresh look, and it has become a popular gathering place, day or night.

At 7:30pm on October 6, the Culture Bureau will hold “Rail tracks, blooming flowers--Concerts in front of the Rail Station” in front of the old rail station, where Taiwan Youth Wind Band, Taichung Artists Chamber Choir, and Xinming Senior High School will perform. At 7:00pm on October 13 and 14, the Information Bureau will hold “Support Movies in a Locomotive”, where two exciting movies, “Coco Night Club” and “Teacher, Are You Coming?”, will be shown outdoors.

From 7:00pm to 10:30pm on October 19 through 21, the Culture Bureau will hold light shows in front of the old rail station. Each night, 3D light shows featuring rail stations will be available. Spherical 360-degree projections in conjunction with flowers and interactive projections will take the audience on a journey of a hundred years through Taichung.
The marketplace that the Economic Development Bureau used to host in the past at Liuchuan will be held at Luchuan. From 3:00pm to 7:00pm on October 13, 35 stalls will display and sell creativity products on Luchuan between Shuangshi Road and Chenggong Road. There will also be concerts on the waterfront by young creative musicians

From October 19 to 28, the Economic Development Bureau will hold “Open the Green Space 1908” series of activities in the space between the old rail station and the green space rails, featuring the planned green space model, sandbox light sculptures, marketplaces, and public arts. These will be held between 1:00pm and 9:00pm. At 6:30pm on October 27, The Civil Affairs Bureau will hold a “Listen and Sing with People” concert at Taichung Park (beside Shuangshi Road). Zhiji Duet, Nanfang Duet, Tai Zhao-mei, Zheng Yi, and Shi Xiao-rong will perform popular folk songs.

Additionally, the Water Resources Bureau has invited several artists to create environmental arts on Luchuan and Liuchuan, two streams that have been cleaned and spruced up. They will use natural objects to devise and locate their works about nature, echoing the Flower Expo and expressing the importance of protecting the water resources of rivers. In the evening of October 27, lighted props will illuminate the old city area and a concert for the lighting will be held on the waterfront of Liuchuan. Where singer Chen Sheng will perform.

For information about the “New Life in an Old City Exposition”, please visit our website.