The Prospect of Kaohsiung Major Development Plans/ 高雄市重大建設下的遠景
◎Text by Fang-Ju Lin ◎Photos Courtesy of Chung-Hui Pao and Public Works Bureau
Siao Ming and his family take the KMRT and then the Circle Line Light Rail Transit System to the Main Stadium for the 2009 World Games to watch an exciting sports game. After the game, they attend a concert near Kaohsiung Port featuring an international singer. Their last destination is the nearby Kaohsiung Exhibition & Convention Center where the exhibition of the world's newest yacht takes place. Alternatively, they could watch the live event on TV broadcasted by Taiwan Broadcasting System Southern News Center to avoid rushing between venues.
The Main Stodium of the 2009 World Games
This is not a daydream. This is a real scenario of a weekend in 2012 in Kaohsiung City. The ongoing major municipal development plans are the driving force behind this prospect- building a whole new city for the general public to enjoy.
The first fulfillment that the public will witness is the Main Stadium for the 2009 World Games, which is scheduled to be completed in 2009. It will be the first stadium in the world powered by solar resources. With a capacity of 40,000 people, the stadium will undertake the important responsibility of being the main venue of the 2009 World Games. Afterwards, it will be used to accommodate various large international sports games.
Hosting international conventions and exhibitions contributes to the momentum of urban development. Take Hong Kong for example; large events have stimulated demand for hotel accommodations as well as local consumption. The Kaohsiung Exhibition & Convention Center, which will be completed in 2010, will play a significant role. The Kaohsiung Exhibition & Convention Center will not only host large international events, but also promote the software business and job opportunities in fields such as professional marketing and commercial specialties.
Popular Music Center at Kaohsiung Port is scheduled to be completed in 2012. Upon its completion, this huge outdoor performance venue will be used for hosting large concerts with international and domestic musicians. With a capacity of 8,000 people, it will also be used as an audiovisual library, a pop music museum as well as a pop music training space and audiovisual production center. In the near future, the music center will serve as a base for fostering future Taiwanese pop musicians, and a stepping stone for music bands to connect with the international stage.
KMRT
The Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit (KMRT) runs across the city. Along with the 19.6-kilometer Circle Line Light Rail Transit System which will be completed in 2012, a convenient transit network will provide 32 train stations along the different lines. With one universal transit card, riders can easily take these different public transportation systems.
Mayor Chen Chu indicated that the Kaohsiung metro transit system will be completed when the Circle Line Light Rail Transit System connects with the KMRT orange line. This will benefit the development of Kaohsiung metro area. The completion of the KMRT, the Circle Line Light Rail Transit System and other public transportation will also facilitate the decrease of carbon dioxide emissions; thus improving air quality.
Taiwan Broadcasting System Southern News Center, located in Kaohsiung City, together with Popular Music Center and the National Film Culture Center, will create a new media industrial chain to keep up with the international media development trend of digital movies, television, broadcasting and audiovisual programs. The Southern News Center will serve as the voice platform for southern Taiwan. It will also play a role in increasing the cultural and economic competitiveness of Taiwan. In addition, ten colleges and universities in southern Taiwan will be able to access the abundant resources provided by the Southern News Center for their audiovisual, broadcasting and art departments.
Kaohsiung is realizing its metropolitan prospect with the upcoming completion of various development plans. Kaohsiung will definitely become a truly well-established city in the future.
◎文／無明 ◎照片提供／鮑忠暉．高雄市政府工務局
小明一家人搭著捷運再轉乘環狀輕軌，到世運主場館欣賞力與美的體育競賽後，再趕高雄港畔，聆聽國際巨星的演唱會，然後到鄰近的高雄世貿展覽會議中心，瞧瞧世界最新的遊艇。如果不想趕場，打開電視看公廣集團南部分台的直播。
這不是夢，是2012年的高雄市某個周末的真實場景。因為，幾項重大市政建設正如火如荼進行中，為市民打造全新風貌的港都。
市民最先看到的成果，就是預定在2009年完工並正式啟用的世運主場館。這座全世界第一座使用太陽能的運動場館，可容納４萬人次，完成承辦世運會賽事的重任後，未來還能承辦各類大型國際體育賽事。
舉辦國際型會議與展覽是城市發展的泉源活水，香港就是最佳例證，只要有大型活動舉辦，不僅是觀光飯店供不應求，也帶動地方消費，預訂於2010年完工啟用的國際會展中心就要扮演著這樣的角色。未來不但要辦國際性大型活動，也會帶動專業行銷及商務人才等軟體商機與就業機會。
位於高雄港畔的流行音樂中心也將於2012年完工，屆時這座擁有8000人以上的大型戶外表演場，可舉辦國內外大型演唱會，還有影音圖書館、流行音樂博物館、流行樂團育成及影音後製中心。可預見的未來，她還將是孕育台灣流行音樂歌手與樂團直奔國際舞台的搖籃。
貫穿南北及東西向高雄市的捷運系統，全長19.6公里的環狀輕軌也將於2012年峻工，與捷運構築成四通八達的路網，沿途的32處候車站提供市民便捷的上下車服務，一卡在手就能行遍高雄市。
陳菊市長表示，環狀輕軌未來與捷運紅橘線接軌後，構成高雄都會區大眾運輸系統，對高雄都會區整體發展有正面助益。捷運及輕軌等大眾運輸系統完成，還可減少二氧化碳排放量汙染，改善空氣品質。
公廣集團南部分台落址高雄市，未來將與流行音樂中心、國家電影文化中心南部院區形成新媒體產業鏈，而數位電影、電視、廣播、影音正是國際多媒發展的新趨勢。未來，不但是南部觀點的發聲平台，也肩負著提昇台灣未來的文化、經濟競爭力，同時也提供南台灣10所大專校院的16個影視傳播藝術系豐富的資源。
高雄未來的城市新風貌與願景，隨著各項建設逐步實現，建構幸福城市─高雄。