City parks for all generations

By Sho Chang-young Parks in the city serve as essential green spaces that provide residents with recreation, relaxation and a connection to nature. They improve air quality, reduce urban heat and support mental and physical well-being. Parks also foster community interaction, offering a shared area for cultural activities, exercise and social gatherings.

My wife and I moved to a few places after retirement and have settled on our current apartment complex. One of the main reasons for this was that we would be living near a large park, Children's Grand Park in eastern Seoul. It looked perfect for having a break in the park without financial burden.



The park was established in 1973 under the direction of President Park Chung-hee. It was a period of post-war development, when the desire and efforts for the economic development of the whole nation were great, and the number of children was growing rapidly. As a result, there was an urgent need to increase the social infrastructure related to children's emotional stability and physical health.

There were several rumors regarding its construction. Yet, it was clear that the Children's Grand Park was built on the site of a large 18-hole golf course at that time. Even now, in the center of the park, the original clubhouse building has been preserved and used as a resting house.

Traces of the greens and bunkers can easily be seen here and there. Since its foundation, it has become a popular spot for children from all over the country. So, it was a must-see for local children's excursion trips to Seoul, and it was often covered in the news.

Visiting children were able to have a variety of experiences. It was fun to take a walk in the woods to get to the zoo and the botanical garden. And extraordinary exhibitions and performances were abundant to enrich children's imaginations.

Furthermore, adventurous activities at the amusement park zone were the highlight of the visit. Later, similar parks in other provinces sprang up that mimicked the name and functions of this park. It's interesting to stroll around this park and relive our childhood memories.

The fact that such a large-scale park is in Seoul would be a great pride. However, I feel that this park is too often occupied by older people. Nowadays in this park, there are far more older adults than children accompanying their young parents.

Sometimes, the park’s name itself sounds awkward. This is especially true during the weekdays. It might be showing the effects of a low birthrate and an aging population.

We need to calmly acknowledge the situation and find the best solutions for the future of this park. It's time to think proactively. As a constructive alternative, how about modifying it as a comprehensive city park that appropriately encompasses all generations? For this, in addition to maintaining the existing facilities for children, work should be done to increase and build new amenities for the elderly.

In this respect, opinions begin to emerge, which insist that all-inclusive upgrade plans for the park be discussed at the level of the Seoul Metropolitan Government. I hope that Seoul Children's Grand Park will become a famous one that attracts the attention of all citizens. It should be a good example of remodeling an old park, for all generations.

Sho Chang-young is a retired high school teacher and former principal of Gunsan Girls' High School..