Cultural Heritage verus Economic Development

    Cultural heritage could coexist with economic development. In the case of Chung Hsing New Village, the entering of Central Science Park is faced both sides of support and opposite. The side of opposite states that it would destroy the landscape and the cultural heritages. While the other side stats that the entering of Central Science Park could improve the decreasing economy since the simplification of Taiwan Provincial Government. However, do we only have the choice to sacrifice historical heritage in order to develop economy?

     Actually, preservation of cultural heritage could improve economic development. Take the Taipei Water Park Museum for instance, in 1974 after the modern water supply facility was finished, the government of Taipei City were meant to dismantled the previous structure of Taipei Water Source Site to follow the urbanization project as the economic took off. Owing to the rising awareness of preservation of historical heritage in Taiwan, as well as the support provided by the president Lee Teng-Hui, endeavoring to preserve and renovate architectures and structures built during the Japanese colonial period, the Taiwan Water Corporation began to collect history data and pictures later used in renovation and establishment of the Museum of Taiwan Water Park in 1993. The total budget spent was nearly as much as constructing the new headquarter of the Taiwan Water Corporation, as the project started in the same year. But the result was unbelievably astonishing; the museum soon became a popular tour spot in Taiwan and draw hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world to visit this amazingly unique and beautiful Baroque architecture. And the area around the museum are also well utilized and transform into a water park with fountains and playgrounds, bringing huge amount of added value to the museum.

Taipei Water Park Museum

    In summary, preservation of cultural heritage is not a big deal to condense the economic situation. On the contrary, with adequate maintenance and perhaps a couple of renovation, it could attract plenty of tourists. For Chung Hsing New Village, its complete urban plan already offers the service such as Chung Hsing Conference Hall, which imitates the style of White Hose Dome and was build by Taiwan Provincial Government in 1950s. Ching Hsing Conference is a famous spot for soup opera and wedding shots. Also, it is surrounded by a children park, a library, a senior high school, a playground, and a supermarket. The perfect arrangement has provided a comfortable and refreshing area for the locals and tourists from outside of Chung Hsing New Village. Subsequently, the economy of Chung Hsing New Village gradually revives. Hence, preservation of cultural heritage in Chung Hsing New Village is a potential way to develop economy at the meantime.  

Reference

The official website of Taipei Water Park. Museum of drinking water. Retrieved from 

         https://waterpark.twd.gov.tw/english/museum/museum.htm

Why should we preserve Historical Heritage of Chung Hsing New Village?

      Studying history is a way to understand history. Visiting historical heritage is a way to experience history. That’s why a large group of people fight for the preservation of their hometown heritage. Chung Hsing New Village is just a typical instance. Because of the entering of Central Science Park, a part of the locals realize the importance of village preservation. They have been working hard on collecting disappearing memories of Chung Hsing New Village’s past for a long time, and have attempted to manage village self-image and identity to prove its value of preservation.

      According to  Liou Y.W. (2009), Chung Hsing New Village is equipped with special role and meaningful heritages. It appeared in the continuous atmosphere of Chinese Civil War. With limited material resources and human resources, Chung Hsing New Village has been the home to Taiwan Provincial Government for over forty years. At that tough time, several Taiwanese designers went abroad to Engalnd to learn special design of new town, Garden City, and implanted it into Taiwan land. In only two years, a local persevered new town was established. The process is not only full of inspiring footsteps of human striving but also documents Asian representation from the output of contemporary European civilization.  

The landscape of Chung Hsing New Village—A beautiful garden city. Referring to Wikipedia, Garden cities were intended to be planned, self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts", containing proportionate areas of residences, industry and agriculture.

      Facing the territorial exploitation from Central Science Park, Chung Hsing New Village is supposed not only to figure out its own identity but also to search for sustainable economic manner to be the backup of it. In 2002, Taiwan Provincial Government came up with several ideas about future development—to utilize existed resources such as historical document museum, dormitories, international conference center, swimming pool, golf court, badminton court, tennis court to transform into live museums and a sightseeing tourist center. With a little modification, Chung Hsing New Village could cater the needs to deal with meals and accommodation, by which tourists could enjoy the comfortable environment as well as its convenience.

    In conclusion, Chung Hsing New Village should make more effort on preservation due to its historical and profitable value. Furthermore, Government and the residents need to endeavor to build a sequel of potential and hopeful plans for a prosperous resort with historical significance for the elegant garden city.

Reference

 Liou Y.W. (2009). The Imagined Space for Chung Hsing New Village to  apply for World
               Heritage. Retrieved from
               http://subtpg.tpg.gov.tw/web-life/taiwan/9802/9802-13.html

Wikipedia. Garden City. Retrieved from
                http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_city_movement

The Cutural Value of Chung Hsing New Village

    Chung Hsing New Village is one of the first urbanization project and also the greatest of its kind in Taiwan since it was designed when Taiwan restoration in 1949. Therefore its value of preservation is obvious. The importance of Chung Hsing New Village’s urbanization then became the model of the other places of Taiwan. The urbanization has offered a variety of service from education, medical, diet, recreation, and to the end of life. What is the most special and worth preserving are its main office buildings and the neighborhood organization. According to Yaw-Hwa Liou(2009), Chung Hsing New Village is now applying for world heritage qualified by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. First, it displays the conflict relationship between Taiwan and China. Moreover, the buildings of official accommodation are built according English constructing concept, garden city. Green resources are abundant, which is a featured urbanization plan.

    Central Science Park has been on planning fifth developing in Chung Hsing New Village since 2009. Although it faced a wave of opposite sounds, it still entered Chung Hsing New Villageand has built a large complex of industrial park. However, according to Central Science Park’s construction history, a large part of the construction is not fully utilized. If Central Science Park wants to expand its land across Chung Hsing New Village, the worry about the same situation might occur. Therefore, the planning of industrial park is doubtful. What’s more, the development might destroy the cultural heritages without carefully land surveying.

Some of the opposition groups to Central Science Park cited Village Preservation Act to promote importance of preservation of local cultural heritages, social convention, daily life-style, urban landscape and so on. Nevertheless, Chung Hsing New Village’s 50 years of history seemed insufficient to the officials to support the concept of “preservation”, not to mention there are quite numbers of towns and villages older than Chung Hsing New Village are currently under urban renewal evaluation for future revival and industrial upgrades.

    Apparently, the locals of Chung Hsing New Village and government can’t establish mutual commitment. Now, the first priority is to gather two sides and survey the village whatever houses, roads, sidewalks, children parks, any kinds of historical and cultural construction. And then, the host of Public Television Video Production (2011, November) said that the second step is to draw a detailed blueprint including how to expand the land of industrial park without destroying them. There is one thing that should not be forgotten: the impact of the value of cultural heritage on the locals and Taiwan. Both sides should keep this in mind to accomplish Chung Hsing New Village’s ideal future.

Reference

Yaw-Hwa Liou (2009). The Imagined Space for Chung Hsing New Village to Apply for World       

    Heritage. Retrieved from http://subtpg.tpg.gov.tw/web-life/taiwan/9802/9802-13.html

Public Television Video Production (2011, December). Our Island-- Chung Hsing New Village’s 

    Revival. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH2jNpCVMpU

Public Television Video Production (2011, November). Is Chung Hsing New Village going to 

    become an advanced industrial park? Scholars call for preservation of its cultural heritages.      

    Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1JeJ8W0GcA

Chu-Shu Chuan (2009, November). Chung Hsing New Village is going to become an advanced 

    industrial park. Citizen Journalism. Retrieved from http://www.peopo.org/news/42786