Hamasen Pier 1 Scenic Bridge Dapingding Tropical Botanical Garden / 哈瑪星一號船渠景觀橋和大坪頂熱帶植物園
Hamasen Pier 1 Scenic Bridge Dapingding Tropical Botanical Garden
◎English text by Hsiuli Lin
◎Photos courtesy of Chung-Hui Pao, Public Works Bureau
The scenic bridge that crosses over Hamasen Pier 1 officially opened with a lighting ceremony on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival with Mayor Chu Chen presiding. This bridge is the most recent addition to the beautiful bridge collection of Kaohsiung City and a new location in Hamasen for viewing the sunset and ships. With the goal of becoming a "Garden City", Kaohsiung City Government developed Indigenous Plant Garden in Northern Kaohsiung and has now finished a tropical botanical garden in Southern Kaohsiung which will serve as a new recreational spot for its residents.
Mayor Chu Chen pointed out that to go between Gushan Ferry Station and Sizihwan, people had to go all the way along and around Pier 1 passing popular tourist spots such as Shauchuantou Park, Syongjhen North Gate, and Former British Consulate. Heavy traffic on the weekends can make this route unpleasant for area visitors.
In response to the heavy traffic, the Public Works Bureau of the city government established a pedestrian scenic bridge which stretches across Pier 1 from the ferry station to the other side. The bridge itself has a very simple structure with a total length of 200 meters. It provides a smoother alternate route. With the projected lights at night, the bridge becomes a new beautiful landmark in Hamasen. Along with attractions nearby this area is expected to see an increased number of tourists.
※Dapingding Tropical Botanical Garden
Newly completed Dapingding Tropical Botanical Garden in Southern Kaohsiung adds more greenery and lushness in Kaohsiung City. Compared to Indigenous Plant Garden, located in Northern Kaohsiung and characterized by Kaohsiung's native land features and species, Tropical Botanical Garden is larger in size and is home to diversified tropical plants of Kaohsiung.
Tropical Botanical Garden is located in Gong 4 and Gong 5 in Siaogang District near Fongshan Reservoir. This 23.74-acre garden has rich ecological resources and various terrains such as hills, lowlands, and tablelands.
The Maintenance Office of the Public Works Bureau mentioned that Tropical Botanical Garden will be positioned as a museum of tropical plants and a recreational park for Kaohsiung residents by systematically collecting, preserving, and cultivating Taiwan-based tropical plants.
The garden features Ecology Exposition Center, Green Path, Observation Deck, wood bridges, pavilions, Forest Education Center, and four theme areas specialized in the exhibition and preservation of tropical plants as well as ecological education and tourism. It is not only an outdoor natural classroom in Southern Kaohsiung but is also a great recreational destination for the public.
The completion of Tropical Botanical Garden brings more green resources to the local landscape. This garden and Chaishan play the role of "Lungs of the City", while their northern counterpart, Indigenous Plant Garden, provides biological diversity. Kaohsiung is getting closer to the goal of becoming a "Garden City".
哈瑪星一號船渠景觀橋和大坪頂熱帶植物園
◎文／林秀麗
◎照片提供／鮑忠暉、工務局
跨越哈瑪星一號船渠的景觀橋樑，中秋節前夕在高雄市長陳菊點燈下啟用，高雄市多了一座美麗橋景，哈瑪星則新添一處欣賞夕陽西下、大船入港的新地標。以「花園城市」為目標的高雄市，除位於北高雄的原生植物園外，南台灣新完工的「熱帶植物園」也將成為市民遊憩新去處。
陳菊市長表示，以往從渡船頭到西子灣，必須沿一號船渠岸邊繞行一大圈，尤其哨船頭公園、雄鎮北門及英國領事館官邸等知名景點，每逢假日常因湧入大量人潮、車潮而造成交通擁擠，讓遊客玩興大減。
市府工務局因而特別在渡船頭旁，新建一座人行景觀橋，可以從一號船渠橫跨到對岸，橋梁結構簡捷輕巧，總長200公尺，不僅打造了一條暢通的新動線，搭配夜間投射燈更為哈瑪星打造亮麗的新地標，串聯周邊景點後可望為哈瑪星再添觀光商機。
位於南高雄新完工的「大坪頂熱帶植物園」，讓以「花園城市」為目標的高雄市綠意更加盎然，綠地圖更完整，除了位在北高雄以台灣及高雄原生地貌與物種為主題的原生植物園外，「熱帶植物園」面積更廣闊，也將是高雄市熱帶植物物種多樣化的基地。
※熱帶植物園
「熱帶植物園」位在小港區高坪特定區公4、公5用地，鄰近鳳山水庫，總面積23.74公頃。自然生態豐富，有丘陵
、低地、台地等地形。
高雄市政府工務局養工處表示，熱帶植物園的定位，將朝有系統的蒐集、保存及栽培台灣熱帶植物，以「熱帶植物的博物館」與「市民生態旅遊」為設置目標。
園區規劃包括生態解說中心、自然步道、觀景平台、木橋、涼亭、林間教室，以及熱帶植物的物種展示、保育、自然教育、生態旅遊四大主題區等，既是南部地區自然教學戶外教室，也是民眾休憩的最佳去處。
完工後的「熱帶植物園」新綠地，為當地景觀增添綠意，並與柴山、原生植物園各自在高雄南北發揮「都市之肺」與「生物多樣性」功能，讓高雄市更接近「花園城市」目標。
大坪頂熱帶植物園
Dapingding Tropical Botanical Garden
哈瑪星一號船渠景觀橋
Hamasen Pier 1 Scenic Bridge