Central Park Introduction
Central Park occupies a prime area in Kaohsiung City, adjacent to the Wufu shopping district and interconnected with the various commercial establishments such as Dream Mall, Takashimaya, and Hanshin Arena Shopping Plaza. The lush Central Park covers an expansive 12.7 hectares and features areas like an artificial lake, a garden maze, and a water dance plaza, making it a great place to relax after a meal. Standing on the grassy heights and gazing southward, one can overlook the skyscrapers of southern Kaohsiung, including the 85 Sky Tower and the Han-Hsien International Hotel. The urban corridor on the southern side of the park collaborates with various artists to create a new artistic leisure walkway, which significantly stimulated Taiwan's urban aesthetics and imagination when it opened in 2001. On the northern side, the Kaohsiung Literature Museum and the Li Yong-ke Memorial Library provide a quiet and high-quality reading environment. The Central Park MRT Station is designed with the concept of "Modern Kaohsiung" by British architect Richard Rogers, featuring an enormous white canopy and delicate yellow pillars, creating a design motif named "Soaring." This white canopy not only enhances the fashionable atmosphere and structural beauty of the Central Park Station but also incorporates a special rainwater collection system that directs rainwater into a cascading waterfall in the station's staircase. Sunlight, flowing water, and the greenery of the walls make the station feel fresh and natural, earning frequent praise and attention from international media. The construction of the Speech Square in Central Park combines park space and features soapbox podiums where speakers can freely express their opinions, embodying the basic human right to free speech.
