Youth Park Introduction
Youth Park is a comprehensive open park in the Greater Taipei metropolitan area, located on the west side of Wanhua District, Taipei City. It borders Guoxing Road to the east, Xinpian Youth Road to the west, Shuiyuan Road to the south, and Youth Road to the north, covering an area of 24.44 hectares. The land has its origins in the Japanese colonial period, originally serving as a military training ground before being converted into an airport. Due to its location at the southern end of Taipei City and its opposite position to the northern Songshan Airport, it was named the Southern Airport. In 1953, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Defense, the Taipei Country Club was established, which later became the Taipei Golf Club. On Youth Day in 1974, following the Executive Yuan's directive, the Taipei City Government took over the golf course and transformed it into Youth Park. The official takeover occurred in October of that year, and the park was completed in September 1977, becoming a popular place for recreational activities for Taipei citizens. The park is well-equipped with a diverse range of facilities, surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful scenery. Sports facilities include a golf course (fee required) along Guoxing Road, eight swimming pools along Shuiyuan Road, and six tennis courts on the southern side of the park. Inside the swimming pool building, there is a billiards room available for use. Free recreational facilities include basketball courts, badminton courts, baseball fields, skating rinks, tennis practice walls, and outdoor sports fields, distributed throughout the park. Additionally, the park houses a bonsai museum, reading room, audiovisual classroom, open-air music stage, and police station, providing educational services to residents and visitors. Besides the various hardware services, the park's landscape planning, green facilities, and plant distribution form the main axis of beautifying the park. The entrance features a radiating flowerbed filled with vibrant flowers (such as balsam, cockscomb, strings of hearts, cigar flowers, butterfly orchids, and golden trumpet flowers) alongside shrubs like azaleas, rhododendrons, and Hetzner’s pine, creating a welcoming and colorful atmosphere as one enters the park. In the central area, a vast expanse of grass covers the ground, creating a lush, orderly environment. Surrounding it, banyan trees are planted to form shady green tunnels, and from a distance, it resembles a green sea. Strolling through the park feels like being in a forest bath, refreshing both body and mind. Numerous citizens engage in morning exercises on the lawn area, promoting health. Behind the lawn, a waterway connects to the Nine-Curve Bridge in the northeast part of the park. Aquatic plants are planted on both sides of the pond, with fountains that enhance the scenery. East of the baseball field, maple trees have matured into a maple forest, adding to the winter landscape with their falling leaves. In spring, azaleas bloom vibrantly, further enhancing the park's beauty. Additionally, the park is dotted with trees, shrubs, lawns, flowerbeds, benches, pavilions, health trails, and sculptures. The park's wide paths and numerous attractions make it a remarkable example of a large composite park. Youth Park is spacious, equipped with diverse and complete facilities, offering rest, sports, educational services, and rehabilitation for citizens of all ages and abilities, enabling everyone, whether disabled or healthy, to enjoy the park fully. A beautiful park requires not only scenic enhancement but also the involvement of the community to appreciate, cherish, and enjoy the fruits of municipal construction together.
