By Eryk Michael Smith / Staff
Before the Art Museum district stole its crown, the Heti area — between Zihyou Road to the east and Minzu Road to the west — was home to some of the city’s most coveted real estate. It’s still a very pleasant place to live, but over the years, the bike paths and jogging lanes along the Love River that were once a big selling point for those living there succumbed to wear and tear. One issue that plagued the area is a common problem in many parts of Kaohsiung: unruly tree roots bursting out of the ground and cracking through pavement and sidewalks.
The city had planned to fix sections on both sides of the river between Heti Park and Smile Park, but a series of typhoons over the last two years delayed and made the renewal project more difficult, as uprooted trees caused more destruction.
Perhaps the storms were a blessing in disguise for the area, as the renewal work turned into a complete redo, and the first section that has reopened is a marked improvement on what was there before. The city is asking residents to bear with the inconveniences of construction from now through about June, when hopefully the entire sections on both sides of the river will reopen.
