隆恩圳

An oasis in the city, with big trees, benches, flowing water, flowers, mushroom-shaped lights, and a well-maintained lawn—everything is designed to feel like being in nature. You wouldn't guess it's right next to a bustling megacity. I love taking walks here! 😉💯💞

Next to Central Park, there are well-designed slides for children, plenty of benches to rest on, and many shady spots for relaxation.

Longen Canal is one of Taiwan's three ancient canals. For over 300 years, it has irrigated farmland and provided water to residents of Hsinchu City. During the Japanese occupation, with the establishment of organizations such as the "Zhunan Irrigation Association," modern engineering techniques were introduced, and the original canal was renovated with concrete, significantly improving water conveyance efficiency. In 2017, the Hsinchu City Government improved upstream water quality and commissioned Field Central Associates Architects to renovate Longen Canal. Creative facilities such as wind chime lights and aquatic plant railings were used to create an urban green belt, while also improving pedestrian space and connecting Central Park, Sanmin Park, and Sanmin Junior High School into a green corridor. This broke down the past division of living space by the canal, earning it the 2018 National Outstanding Construction Award for "Best Planning and Design" Gold Medal, the 2018 6th Taiwan Landscape Award, and the 2020 Japan Good Design Award.

Walking along the scenic walkways of Longen Canal every day, I deeply appreciate the impact of urban aesthetics on the quality of life. This construction truly owes a great deal to the visionary leadership of former Mayor Lin Chih-chien. In its early days, Longen Canal divided the city in two and was often considered an unpleasant, dilapidated ditch. However, under Mayor Lin's sweeping reforms, not only were precious old trees preserved, but elevated network walkways and lush greenery were also added, successfully transforming the once dilapidated space into an "urban oasis" connecting the city's vitality. Now, whether for a stroll or a weekend visit with children to explore the ecology, one can feel the comfort and tranquility brought by this construction. Compared to the drive that brought a fresh look to the city back then, the current municipal atmosphere is indeed disappointing. Since Mayor Kao Hung-an took office, the city government seems to have become embroiled in too much political wrangling, making the overall municipal initiatives lack highlights and continuity. The greatness of a city lies not in the victory or defeat of political struggles, but in its ability to continuously create a better living environment for its citizens. Getting bogged down in this pointless political wrangling does nothing to help Hsinchu’s development. It is hoped that the current city government team can refocus on the real needs of the citizens and put their energy into continuing and maintaining these good municipal foundations so that Hsinchu can continue to move forward.

Things Google Maps Won't Tell You: It's not the place that's boring, it's the people who never set out to explore its interesting local features… After lunch, we strolled along the Hsinchu City Moat Waterfront Park, then headed towards Sanmin Road. Passing the National Taiwan University parking lot, we arrived at the "Longen Canal Waterfront Park." Upon entering the park, we were drawn in by the sounds of children playing on the slides. Walking on the spacious, comfortable, and bouncy artificial turf walkways, the irrigation channels beneath our feet were sometimes hidden, sometimes exposed, and occasionally intersected in interesting ways. The cold, hard steel bars were bent into organic plant lines, transformed into waterway railings, park benches, and even became a nearby grandma's quilt-drying rack (laughs). A few mushroom-shaped sculptures occasionally peeked out from the grass, paired with giant, whimsical streetlights (wind chime-shaped lamps) standing next to large trees and wooden benches at a comfortable height for adults and children to sit or lie down on. Underneath, dense old trees provided shade, making the park instantly relaxing. This park, converted from an old irrigation canal, has become a popular spot for nearby residents to walk their children and dogs, for couples to date, for groups of friends to relax and socialize, all thanks to its charming and delicate aesthetic design. It overturns the stereotypical image of a converted park. Whether a city's residents are well-treated can be seen by visiting its parks. The Longen Canal Waterfront Park has made me love Hsinchu, this city bursting with beauty, even more! The unique shops converted from old houses scattered along the waterway add to the park's relaxed atmosphere. For those who enjoy a down-to-earth experience, feeling the essence of Hsinchu, and taking a stroll! Would you like to be a tourism ambassador for Hsinchu City? Yes! I would! (Free food and lodging, drool wipe) ❤️ (Pretending to be a handsome Hsinchu mayor asking me this~ (wakes up)) Visit Date: 2021/01/03 (Sun) #LongenCanalWaterfrontPark #HsinchuNoLongerACityToBePassedAway #HsinchuStroll #HsinchuBombardedWithBeauty