Seongnam Environmental Movement Alliance calls for public park instead of apartments

The Seongnam Environmental Movement Alliance held an emergency forum to advocate for transforming the Seongnam Citizen Farm area into a major public park, dubbed the ‘Seongnam Citizen Central Park,’ rather than allowing apartment development.

The site, approximately 226,000 square meters, was originally planned by Seongnam City since 2007 to serve as a symbolic integration park connecting the old downtown area with Bundang. However, the site was recently designated as a development target for the Yeosu 2 Public Housing District under the central government’s large-scale housing supply plan.

During the forum, experts highlighted the severe disparity in park access within Seongnam. Research indicated that while Bundang enjoys 19.6 square meters of park area per person, certain old downtown districts like Sujin 1-dong, Sinheung 1-dong, and Sangdaewon 3-dong have 0 square meters per person. Proponents argued that the site is essential for climate crisis adaptation, providing heat mitigation and rainwater storage for the approximately 71,000 residents living within a 1km radius, many of whom are elderly.

The Alliance plans to launch a large-scale citizen signature campaign and public discourse activities to protect the green axis connecting Tancheon Stream and the eastern mountains.