Millennium Park Introduction
Millennium Park, designated as "Park Site No. 2," covers an area of 13.2 hectares, making it the second largest park after Zhongshan Park in Pingtung County. It is surrounded by Dalian Road, Guangdong Road, Freedom Road, and Victory Road, all of which are densely populated residential areas. Notably, the area to the east, Dalian Li, is the most populated neighborhood in Pingtung City, with over 13,000 residents. Located 200 meters southwest of Zhongshan Park, the park is near educational institutions such as National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung Commercial and Industrial High School, Luxing High School, Ming Cheng Junior High School, and Ren'ai Elementary School, making it a significant cultural and educational zone. In the past, the Pingtung County Cultural Center (now the Cultural Affairs Bureau) and the city-run Zhongzheng Swimming Pool were also located within the site, marking it as a rare "lung of the city." After the Pingtung City Government began land acquisition for Millennium Park in 1988, Mayor Huang Ching-han demolished the existing structures in 1995. Due to budget shortfalls, the construction was delayed until 1998 when Mayor Wang Jin-shih sought funding from the Ministry of the Interior under the "Domestic Demand Expansion Project - Creating New Rural and Urban Landscapes" and held public consultations before commencing the development. Millennium Park has completed its first two phases of construction, focusing on low-impact development to maintain the native plant ecology and the revitalization of Wannian Creek, creating a picturesque environment with lush greenery and flowing water in the urban forest. It was officially opened on March 12, 2001, and quickly became a favorite among the citizens. The city government frequently organizes family-oriented cultural activities on weekends, such as the "Firefly Summer" firefly ecology experience camp, water rocket launching, mudfish catching, and ox cart rides through the park, making it a prime recreational spot.
