Checheng Visitor Center Introduction
Background: Checheng Elementary School was established in 1957 and relocated to its current site in May 1987 in conjunction with the Ming Tan Hydroelectric Power Plant. Affected by the recent low birthrate, Checheng Elementary School, with nearly 60 years of history, underwent consolidation and closure, formally becoming part of history in August 2015. To revitalize the vacant campus after its closure, the Sun Moon Lake Administration collaborated with Nantou County Government to conduct a paid land transfer, completing the transfer process from June 2017 to September 2018. The campus was then planned as a railway-themed tourist educational center and officially opened on September 18, 2019. Design Description: The original auditorium, "Xuehai Hall," was converted into the Checheng Visitor Center and Management Office to provide tourists with travel information services, as well as facilities such as a nursing room, Muslim prayer room, and public restrooms. Collaboration with the Taiwan Railway Administration involved the relocation of old locomotives (R100 series - R114) and old passenger carriages (35SPK32700 series) to the park for display. The railway-themed educational center design and entrance corridor at the southern entrance of Checheng were enhanced to invoke train imagery, becoming a new photo hotspot in the area. The original school's command platform and main gate were preserved as waiting areas and an entrance. The original playground space was repurposed into pedestrian pathways, a temporary parking area for small vehicles, a turnaround for large buses, and a temporary loading zone to alleviate the limited road space issues within the Checheng recreation area. Outcome Benefits: The revitalization of the vacant campus of the closed Checheng Elementary School into a railway-themed educational center has transformed the former school nurturing students into a new tourist attraction. Coupled with the railway facilities within the Checheng recreation area, such as the station, signal tower, transport vehicles, rails, and switches, it enhances the "railway tourism" theme of the recreation area. The government has taken the lead in preserving railway cultural assets and promoting tourism development, attracting private investment and creativity, contributing to the rebirth of the Checheng community. In the future, the administration will continue to collaborate with the Taiwan Railway Administration and related units to promote railway tourism and low-carbon travel, integrating tourism themes such as Checheng's forestry history, Jiji Line railway tourism, and low-carbon cycling, to present a diversified recreational style.
