More good news for the revitalization of cultural heritage along Taichung’s coastal area! The Former Qingshui Xinyi New Village Clinic, which carries the memories of seven military dependents’ villages along the coast, underwent two years of meticulous restoration and will officially open to the public on March 28. Operations were taken over by H. P. B. HI TECH CORP. ahead of the Lunar New Year, and the space has been named Yanba Creative Arts Space. The first round of events will join forces with the major coastal music festival EMERGE FEST 2026 to create a student music carnival, symbolizing the old building’s connection with the creative energy of the younger generation.

The Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taichung City Government stated that the Former Qingshui Xinyi New Village Clinic began operations in 1958 and provided medical services for military dependents from seven coastal military dependents’ villages, with daily patient visits reaching 500 at its peak. It was decommissioned in 2001. Since 2017, it has been managed by the Taichung City Government. Through the efforts of the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the project team, the dual challenges of site protection and building restoration were overcome, and the project was completed and put into operation. The Cultural Affairs Bureau emphasized that, as the first operating site to be launched within the Qingshui Military Dependents’ Village Cultural Park, the clinic will link with arts and cultural institutions such as the Taichung City Seaport Art Center and the Taichung Public Library Qingshui Branch, continuing to promote military dependents’ village culture and build a comprehensive cultural and creative cluster along the coast.

The operating team, H. P. B. HI-TECH CORP., said the space was named “Yanba,” cleverly derived by splitting the Chinese character for “clinic” into the speech component on the left and the “eight” component on the right. Its pronunciation is also the same as the word for “salt,” symbolizing that art and the humanities should, like salt, become an indispensable seasoning in everyday life. In addition to offering specialty coffee, baked goods and light meals, and exhibition and sales of works by local artists, the venue will also hold workshops, salon gatherings, and music performances on a regular basis. The first two days of the opening (February 28 to March 1) coincide with the major coastal music event Emerge Fest 2026 X GO GO FEST at Qingshui Military Dependents’ Village Cultural Park, and Yanba Creative Arts Space will serve as a core venue for preserving and promoting arts and humanities in the coastal area. Through market events and campus outreach activities, this historic settlement will be more than a static display and will also become a dynamic stage for young students to pursue their aspirations.

The Cultural Affairs Bureau added that the Qingshui Military Dependents’ Village Cultural Park covers an area of more than 4 hectares, and the restoration work is being carried out in three phases. The Phase 2 project is currently underway and is expected to be completed in August 2027. The Phase 3 plan is also actively seeking subsidies from the central government. In the future, the park will include a military dependents’ village culinary arts garden, a crafts and cultural creative zone, and an experiential hotel, with the goal of transforming the site into a new arts and cultural park with rich historical depth and modern appeal. For more event information, please visit the Taichung City Seaport Art Center website: https://tcsac.taichung.gov.tw/.