Normally a ‘sports and cultural activity facility’ → used as a ‘disaster evacuation facility’ in case of a disaster
Pohang City Hall.
[아시아경제 영남취재본부 이동국 기자] On the 5th, the city of Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do held a ceremony for the completion of the Heunghae-eup multi-purpose disaster relief center for the establishment of a safe and thorough disaster prevention infrastructure.
The event was held in compliance with the strengthened quarantine rules in the presence of 50 people, including Pohang Mayor Lee Kang-deok and Special Chairperson Baek Kang-hoon for Earthquake Damage Countermeasures, city and provincial legislators, self-sufficient groups, and residents.
Pohang Mayor Lee Gang-deok said, “The construction of the Heunghae-eup multi-purpose disaster relief center is expected to reduce citizens’ anxiety about various disasters and contribute to the improvement of residents’ welfare and balanced regional development. We will continue to work hard to expand disaster prevention infrastructure for the safety of citizens so that it can remain as an example.”
The Heunghae-eup Multipurpose Disaster Relief Center is a project promoted as part of the disaster prevention infrastructure expansion project to relieve citizens’ anxiety about disasters and revitalize the stagnant local economy in difficult circumstances following the Pohang earthquake.
With the approval of a special regeneration plan for the area affected by the Heunghaeji earthquake in Pohang on November 15, this project invested 5 billion won in total project cost including 2.55 billion won in national and provincial expenses on a 3,790 m² site area of the radio house (formerly Gyeongrim New Hope Town), and construction started in January last year. With a total floor area of 1752 m2 and 2 stories above ground, the completion ceremony was held on the same day after temporary firefighting, electricity, and communication test runs for about two months after completion in December.
The multipurpose disaster relief center improves the quality of life of local residents through sports and cultural activities in normal times. It is safe from disasters, including solar power and self-generation facilities, so it can accommodate 300 people at the same time.
This building is a complex space equipped with an indoor relief center (multipurpose gymnasium), lunch room, psychotherapy room, storage room, and convenient facilities (shower room, changing room, rest room, toilet). The multi-purpose room is equipped with massage chairs and indoor bicycles to improve the health of citizens. After going through a temporary operation process for the next three months, the facility will be supplemented and operated by entrusted to specialized institutions.
Pohang City will continue to strive to build additional disaster relief centers in addition to the Heunghae-eup and Jangryang-dong multi-purpose disaster relief centers already installed to overcome earthquake damage, prepare for disasters, and expand disaster prevention infrastructure early.
Reporter Lee Dong-guk from Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters [email protected]
