Zhongli Old Street Riverside Trail, Xinjie River Riverside Trail Introduction
The construction period for the Old Street Bridge is scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2029. The duet of urban greenery: the Old Street Creek and the New Street Creek pave a quietly flowing path for daily life. As you walk slowly along the Old Street Creek and the New Street Creek, you will discover that the city's scenery can also be soft and poetic. These two streams are like a green duet in Greater Taoyuan, quietly playing out the rhythm of nature and culture in daily life. Old Street Creek: A pathway that reconnects you with nature originates from Longtan's Old Street Creek, flowing north through Pingzhen, Zhongli, Daya, and other areas, named for passing through the Zhongli Old Street, making it an important river in Zhongli City. The Old Street Creek Trail is about 5.2 kilometers long, starting from the Bazijun Riverside Park in Pingzhen and extending to the Zhongli Huanbei Road, linking Xinshi Park, Riverside Park, the River Education Center, and the historically significant Xinguang Fude Temple. It is not just a green belt in the city but a tranquil passage in life. Here, white egrets and spotted doves occasionally fly low, surrounded by the serene greenery along the banks. Every step allows you to temporarily escape the busyness of reality and return to a pure rhythm. No wonder the Old Street Creek Trail attracted over 10.53 million visitors in 2024, becoming the fifth most popular tourist recreation site in Taiwan. Next to the riverbank, the greenery intertwines with environmental education and historical memory. From the local beliefs at Xinguang Fude Temple to the urban regeneration at the Old Street Creek Commemoration Square, every step feels like flipping through a gentle and tranquil city walking journal. Along the way, one can catch glimpses of the tassel trees swaying in the wind and children playing on the slides, while the Xingnan Weir quietly maintains the rhythm of the creek water, steadily irrigating the 40 hectares of farmland in Zhongli and preserving the ecological balance of the area. New Street Creek: Hidden within the flow are the city's past and present. If the Old Street Creek is like an elder sharing stories, the New Street Creek resembles a quietly pulsing vein in the city. The New Street Creek flows through Longtan, Pingzhen, Zhongli, and finally out to Daya District, with a total length of about 29 kilometers, and its downstream estuary is the famous Dapingding Bird Watching Area. The New Street Creek Trail is nearly 8 kilometers long, starting from the Shuishou Bridge on Dazun Road in Zhongli and ending at the Mantingfang Bridge on Longgang Road Section 3. Along the way, it passes by cultural landmarks such as Renhai Temple, New Street Elementary School, and the Zhongli Art Park, making this route not just a hiking trail but a riverside corridor that traverses time and culture. In spring, a large number of mountain cherry blossoms bloom on both sides, tinting the entire path with a gentle pink filter; an inadvertent glance might even bring you close to a white egret or a yellow wagtail. When you walk on these two trails, you will understand that healing can actually be quite simple. Like the Old Street Creek and the New Street Creek, they are not loud or dazzling, but in a moment, they allow you to regain the ability to be with yourself.
