With the grant approved by the Environmental Protection Administration, the Taichung City Liouchuan Rehabilitation and Improvement Construction was continuously carried. The comprehensive Project considered water safety, water environment and water culture as the core planning concepts. In the beginning of this year (2021), Liouchuan greeted Taichung citizens with a new and beautiful landscape. Under the priority of flood prevention safety, the construction improved water quality and connected with the surrounding cultural sites by transforming water resources construction into water safety and water culture. Provision of this watershed space was equipped with recreational and environmental education functions and this characteristic green waterfront corridor shaped the new landscape of the urban river!
In 1997, under the administration of former Mayor of Taichung, Jason Hu, Liouchuan was positioned as the "Life and Recreational River- Building a River Gate that Represents Taichung City." To increase recreational space along two sides of Liouchuan and to slow down driving speed on lanes along the two sides, on October 16, 2013, the “Detail Plan Change (after the 2nd Time Discussion) of the Taichung Urban Plan (the Old Downtown Area and Replotted Areas from Phases 1 to 5) was announced to modify the lanes on two sides of Liouchuan East and West Rd. from 20 meters to 12 meters. To respond to the change of the urban plan, the river space was expanded to build the green belt and gentle slope. Low impact development (LID) engineering such as rain garden, vegetated filter strips, infiltration ditches and rain water harvesting was introduced to plant trees, protect safety during floods and improve the environment.
Director General of the Taichung City Water Resources Bureau, Fan Shi-Yi, pointed out that under the efforts of the three mayors of Taichung the rehabilitation project of Liouchuan with the length about 2.1 kilometers from Minchuan Rd. to Sanmin West Rd has been completed. The green belt and gentle slope were incorporated with the planning of surrounding landscapes and facilities such as Lin Chih-Chu Square and Studio, Healing Garden and Long-term Care Center of Taichung Hospital, Old Tree Square and Taichung Literature Park and Holiday Market and Anime Alley. That planning allows visitors to enjoy local recreation, culture and arts of Liouchuan. After the rehabilitation, Liouchuan brought a more comfortable recreational environment to the citizens of Taichung and provided a space for the co-existence of culture and nature.
The upstream section started from Jioushe Park of Beitun District to the newly built on-site wastewater treatment facility at Zhongzheng Park of North District. The 3.5- kilometer long interception facility collected domestic wastewater discharged along the river and river water for treatment at the Zhongzheng Wastewater Treatment Plant where it is designed with replaceable contact filter materials with a daily treatment capacity of 20,000 tons. Adjacent to the existing Zhonghua Contact Bed Treatment Plant, this new wastewater treatment plant overall improved the water quality of Luchuan and gave birth to a greener river and more friendly urban blue belt space to the citizens in Taichung.
After Luchuan's successful rehabilitation, major changes were brought to the overall landscape of Taichung City. With improved water quality and flood prevention capabilities, the safety of residents nearby were safeguarded. Additionally, in combination of shared space with historical and cultural sites, long-term care institution and communities, local living zones were closely connected. In the future, functions such as waterfront recreation, local literature and arts and environmental education will be located in this brand-new diverse waterfront corridor. (1/ 24*11)* Water Resources Bureau
Contact person: Ms. Lin, The Taichung City Water Resources Bureau
Contact telephone number: 04-22289111 extn. 53111