Walkway repairs and exercise equipment among quick fixes; access path and restrooms require longer-term coordination
The Gyeongui Line Forest Road, a green corridor running east to west through Mapo-gu in Seoul, is getting a series of small but meaningful fixes — from uneven walkway surfaces and worn-out benches to a shortage of exercise equipment and hard-to-find restrooms.
Han Ki-young, a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council's Housing and Space Committee representing the Democratic Party of Korea's Mapo 2 district, said Tuesday he has been working with the Seoul Western Park and Leisure Center to address 10 complaints raised by users of the path. Seven of the issues, deemed relatively straightforward, are expected to be resolved this month.
The Gyeongui Line Forest Road is a central urban green axis linking major residential neighborhoods in Mapo-gu, including Yonggang-dong, Daeheung-dong, Yeomni-dong and Sinsu-dong. For local residents, it serves as a commuting route, a walking trail, and a space for exercise and relaxation.
Heavy foot traffic has brought a steady stream of complaints: gravel shortages on some sections of the walkway, aging benches, insufficient exercise facilities, difficulty locating restrooms, foul odors from discarded food waste, and problems with pigeons.
Han, who has regularly visited the site to monitor such concerns, recently walked the Yeomni-dong to Sinsu-dong stretch with Lee Ji-eun, chair of the Democratic Party of Korea's Mapo-gap district committee, and Nam Hae-seok, a Mapo-gu council member.
The issues identified on-site were divided into seven that could be addressed quickly and three longer-term tasks requiring budget allocation and coordination with relevant agencies. The approach is to tackle the near-term fixes first while managing structural problems separately.
"Since the Gyeongui Line Forest Road is a living space that residents use every day, even small inconveniences add up significantly when they repeat," Han said. "I will keep monitoring the progress to make sure the feedback from the field leads to real change."
Walkways and exercise equipment first; access path and restrooms a longer-term goal
Results are already beginning to show. According to a progress report submitted to Han by the Seoul Western Park and Leisure Center on Thursday, gravel replenishment work on the walkway near a CU convenience store in Sinsu-dong has been completed. Repainting of aging benches is underway by section and is scheduled to finish around Oct. 20. Some 1,750 chrysanthemum plants have also been planted along the road to improve the walking environment and scenery.
Exercise areas that see heavy use are also being upgraded. A multi-function cycling exercise machine will be added based on residents' feedback, and clocks will be installed in pergolas for users' convenience. Both installations are planned for completion this month.
Han said the significance lies not in the number of facilities added but in the fact that actual users' needs were reflected.
"What matters is that these decisions were not made unilaterally by administrators — they reflect the voices of real users," he said. "Improvements to park facilities should be approached from the user's perspective, not the provider's."
Management of food waste dumping, which has been degrading the park environment, will also be tightened.
Repeated dumping of food scraps in some sections has generated foul odors and attracted pigeons, prompting ongoing complaints. The Seoul Western Park and Leisure Center said it will step up cleaning and public guidance efforts, and is reviewing enforcement measures — including fines — for habitual offenders.
Restroom accessibility is also on the improvement list. Before any new facilities are built, the center plans to upgrade signage directing visitors to nearby public restrooms already available in the area.
By contrast, adding a new access path in Daeheung-dong and installing additional public restrooms have been designated longer-term tasks, as both require budget approval and coordination with relevant agencies.
Creating a new access path in the Daeheung-dong section is estimated to cost around 100 million won ($73,600). The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to review options — including alternative entry routes near roadside points — after assessing local conditions and gathering residents' input.
Installing additional public restrooms faces a separate complication: the site falls on railway land, meaning any construction would first require consultation with Korea National Railway.
Securing a dedicated space for a volunteer crime-prevention patrol unit also remains under review. The current worker waiting room serves as a rest area and storage space for nine on-site workers, so any solution must avoid encroaching on that existing space.
Rather than forcing a partition of the space, Han proposed to the Seoul Metropolitan Government more practical alternatives, such as installing auxiliary structures or supplying necessary equipment.
"Issues that can be resolved right away should be handled quickly, while those requiring budget or inter-agency coordination should be managed as longer-term tasks," Han said. "I will continue to follow up at the council level on the remaining challenges, including the access path and restrooms."
Han plans to check this month whether the priority improvements have been carried out and to continue discussions with the Seoul Metropolitan Government on additional issues, including the pedestrian environment toward Dohwa-dong.
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
