Daejeon Reboots Norubul Provincial Garden Project, Scales Down to Improve Cost-Benefit
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Daejeon city will reapply this month for central government investment review to revive the Norubul provincial garden project in Heukseok-dong, aiming for completion by 2031 as a major central-region garden. The plan uses the area's forest, river and fields to create nine themed gardens, a garden management center, artist-island gardens, a floral-hill, an ecology learning center and hands-on gardening programs. After failing last year’s review due to a very low benefit-cost ratio (B/C 0.09), the city has cut the budget by 32.8% (from 196.9 billion to 132.4 billion won) and the area by 38% (from 1.41 million to 880,000 m²) to improve economic viability. Officials expect to raise the B/C by counting visitor travel benefits, and will seek redesignation, revise protected-area management plans, and launch an architectural design competition in the second half of the year. Environmental concerns remain, as Norubul lies upstream of the Gapcheon urban section; the city says it will preserve 60% as original land, make 27% green space, minimize harm to about 530 species, and conduct environmental impact assessments. (Norubul: local place name)
