By KHT Staff. Images via KH City Govt.
KAOHSIUNG — More than 30,000 people visited Kaohsiung’s new family recreation park on its first day, the city government said, turning the former Taiwan Railways Kaohsiung Workshop into one of the city’s busiest new summer attractions.
The Kaohsiung Family Recreation Park (高雄親子遊樂園區) opened Aug. 8 at the former TRA workshop site. The city describes it as Taiwan’s largest free semi-indoor family recreation park.
The city said nearby Light Rail Kaisyuan Wuchang Station (凱旋武昌站) recorded about 4,000 passenger entries and exits that day, roughly 20 times its usual levels.
Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said the former 28-hectare workshop site carries important memories of Kaohsiung’s railway and industrial history. He said the project opens the old grounds to the public while preserving high-ceiling steel structures and railway-related design features.
The park includes more than 30 indoor and outdoor facilities divided by age and activity type.
Attractions include a rope-net play structure built around an old overhead crane, cloud-themed trampolines, bouldering areas, a parkour practice area, a pump track, a small soccer field, and foam ball pits.
The size of the opening-day crowd has drawn attention to crowd control and access. The city urged parents and children to follow instructions from staff and volunteers, wait in line at popular facilities, and avoid rushing during performances or activities.
The city is also urging visitors to use public transport. The park is about a one-minute walk from Light Rail Kaisyuan Wuchang Station, and free shuttle buses are running every eight minutes between Cultural Center Station (文化中心站) and Kaisyuan Wuchang Station during August.
The opening followed last-minute traffic and parking changes around the site, including the removal of some roadside parking spaces, which drew complaints from some nearby residents and drivers before the launch.
Additional weekend attractions through Aug. 23 include outdoor inflatable water play areas, a 6-meter water slide, and children’s character meet-and-greets.
The park is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. During regular periods, it is open from Wednesday to Sunday. During winter and summer vacations, it is open Tuesday to Sunday.
