Taichung City's Houli Parent-Child Center, the 12th, was opened today (the 19th) and with the theme of "Leopard Cat Theme Park", featuring a baby crawling area for zero to two years old and an exploration area for two to six years old. Zoning services according to age were provided. Compared to the period before Mayor Lu's inauguration, the number of Parent-Child Centers in Taichung increased from four to now 12, an increase by three times! In consideration of the stairs climbing difficulty of the elderly, Mayor Lu at today's opening ceremony declared the investment of NT$6.8 million in installing an elevator at the center.
Mayor Lu pointed out that when she took office, there were only four Parent-Child Centers in the 29 districts and therefore, she proposed "the Enhancement Plan for Parent-Child Centers" and with today's newly opened Houli Parent-Child Center, there are now 12 centers in Taichung, an increase by "three times" which offer free professional courses and borrowing services of books and toys to improve social welfare measures and promote parent-child relationships. The Taichung City Government plans to build 17 Parent-Child Centers for a more friendly child raising environment and to encourage families to have more children.
Mayor Lu said that located in a former building of the Houli Junior High School, the Houli Parent-Child Center is an example of regeneration of idle space by the Taichung City Government. Floors 3 and 4 were rebuilt for the Evergreen Academy and additionally, a budget off more than NT$13 million was invested in building Floors 1 and 2 as the Parent-Child Center. Besides weekdays, on weekends the Center is open for the use of parents and children between 0 and six years old. The basement level will be designed as a table tennis room for both the elderly and the youth.
The Social Affairs Bureau pointed out that Houli Parent-Child Center is like a "leopard cat theme park" that teaches parents and children the importance of leopard cat ecology and conservation. There are several leopard cat images and the Center also introduces diverse cultures of new inhabitants via courses, events and games. For more information about the Houli Parent-Child Center, please visit Taichung City's children raising the resource net and FB fanpage of the Taichung City Houli Parent-Child Center ( https://m.facebook.com/ Taichung City Houli Parent-Child Center -100511408933013/ ) or call at 04-25588660.
In today's opening ceremony, Taichung's mascot, "Lai Hu" was invited with two kindergarten kids in the "one-year-old catch" event. Attendees included Mayor Lu, Director General of the Social Affairs Bureau, Peng Hui-Chan, Director of Secretariat, Yen Nai-Lun, Legislator Yang Chiung-Ying, Councilmen Chang Ching-Fen, Wang Chao-Kun, Chen Ching-Lung, and Chen Bian-Tian, Director of Houli District, Lai Tung-her Yi, some other community leaders and the office representative of Security Advisor of Minister of the Legislative Yuan, Hung Tzu-Yung.