Seoul districts fire up water facilities to beat early summer heat

Yangcheon-gu to operate 18 sites including water playgrounds; Geumcheon-gu sets up 13 non-contact water features; Jungnang-gu installs cooling fog systems at traditional markets

The water playground at Anyangcheon Family Garden. [Yangcheon-gu]

Seoul's autonomous districts are launching urban cooling spaces — floor fountains, water playgrounds and cooling fog systems — to help residents beat the early summer heat.

Yangcheon-gu is operating 18 water facilities across the district this month, including floor fountains and water playgrounds, district officials said Sunday. Key sites include the Paris Park floor fountain, Haenuri Fountain Plaza and the fountain at Anyangcheon Streamside Ecological Park. Paris Park will alternate between a floor fountain and a musical fountain from noon to 7:20 p.m., giving residents a cool place to relax.

Children's water playgrounds will open in stages. The water playground at Anyangcheon Family Garden opens June 20 and runs through September. Starting July 1, playgrounds at Baekseok, Bangok and Gyeongin Children's Parks and Hanul Neighborhood Park will also open, serving as neighborhood summer retreats. The children's water play area at West Seoul Lake Park is set to open during the summer school break.

A water feature installed at Geumcheon Waterfall Park. [Geumcheon-gu]

Geumcheon-gu also began operating 13 non-contact water features Sunday — including floor fountains, wall cascades and streams — at locations such as the area in front of Geumcheon-gu Office Station, Garo Park, Sangisuik Park, Hoamsan Forest Trail Park, Geumcheon Waterfall Park, Siheung Valley and Geumnare Central Park.

The district will run the facilities flexibly through September — one to three sessions per day, 30 minutes each — adjusting for site conditions, visitor demand and weather. Officials plan regular checks for electrical faults and slip hazards, and will reinforce signage prohibiting entry and water play to prevent accidents. A separate contact-type children's water play facility will operate from July 16 to Aug. 16.

Yongma Waterfall at Yongma Waterfall Park in Seoul. [Seoul Tourism Foundation]

Jungnang-gu is also stepping up its heat-relief infrastructure. The district is activating cooling fog systems at Junghwa Water Park and Yongma Waterfall Park, as well as at traditional markets including Myeongmok, Dongwon and Woolim markets. A new cooling fog installation is planned for Bonghwasan Neighborhood Park.

Starting next month, the district will also set up "Jungnang Ongdalsaem" — free chilled water stations — along the Jungnangcheon riverside and in nearby parks for residents.

"With another hot summer expected this year, the districts will pay even greater attention to building and maintaining water features and heat-reduction facilities so residents can safely cool off close to home," an official from one Seoul district said.

seouldream01@heraldcorp.com