Due to frequent use, wooden plates on Dakeng Walk Path #9 were damaged and tilted and in order to protect the safety of visitors, the Tourism and Travel Bureau of Taichung City spent three month repairing the walk path and replacing wooden rails with fife rails. The wooden plate path was elevated for the building of an ecological corridor. Today (23rd) the restoration was completed. According to Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen, Taichung's Dakeng can be compared to Taipei's Yamingshan and she expected that after the restoration, more visitors will be attracted for local economic stimulus.
Organized by the Bureau of Tourism and Travel, Mayor Lu in today's "Commencement Ceremony of Dakeng Walk Path #9 said there are a total of 12 walk paths in Dakeng that provide tourists good recreational space. When she served as a Legislator, she actively proposed to allocate a budget for the restoration and after her inauguration as the Mayor, she also continuously allocated a relevant restoration budget. Over the past two years, about NT$120 million was allocated and in the next year, an additional NT$30 million will be allocated to provide mountain lovers a safe hiking and scenic site.
According to the Director General of the Bureau, Lin Shiau-Chi, the total length of the restoration project was about 225 kilometers. The replacement of fife rails with the original wooden rails increased its endurance and became lighter in weight. Further maintenance costs can also be reduced. Additionally, from the eco-friendly perspective, the wooden plate walk path was elevated to create the ecological corridor to conserve bio-filter and underground water resources for the development of Dakeng's tourism sustainability.
Director General Lin said the Taichung City Government is very much concerned with the safety of the Dakeng walk path and this year, continuous budget at the amount of NT$35 million was allocated to improve the surrounding walk paths. Over the past year, the budget allocated totaled NT$120 million due to the budget support proposed by several local councilmen as well as adoption efforts made by Zongtai Real Estate Development, Taichung Sun Hot Spring and Resort, Best-Giving Construction and SPIL. Their cooperation with the Taichung City Government made the Dakeng Scenic Area, the backyard of Taichung, more beautiful.
According to Director General Lin, the Dakeng Scenic Area has abundant ecological and natural resources and is the home of many orchards. Every visitor is welcome. Taichung also has other attractive mountain and costal sceneries. Come to Taichung and stay at "Safe and Comfortable Hotels" in Taichung to relax the visitors' body and mind. For information about certified hotels and tour operators (updated from time to time), please visit the website at https://bit.ly/2JkFNCg.
Furthermore, subsidies for safe and comfortable tours will come to an end. Before October 31st, the Central Government will give a tour subsidy of NT$1,000 per room and the Bureau will give an additional subsidy of NT$400 each room as the encouragement for safe and comfortable tours. There are also dining vouchers of five-star hotels, Taichung's local delicacies, hot spring vouchers and admission tickets to tourism factories. Those who share the relevant information will also have the chance to win "one-year free hot spring vouchers." For more information, please click the website of Taichung Tourism and Travel at https://travel.taichung.gov.tw/ or Play in Taichung's Facebook fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/taichungresort.
Attendees of today's commencement ceremony included Mayor Lu, Director General of the Tourism and Travel Bureau, Lin Shiau-Chi, Councilmen, Shen You-Lien, Huang Chien-Hou, and Chen Cheng-Tian.