Dongducheon Bandabi Sports Center in Dongducheon-si, Gyeonggi-do is attracting attention as a public sports facility, with citizens from all walks of life using it for complex lifestyle sports and rehabilitation purposes.
Aquatic exercise room at Dongducheon Bandabi Sports Center ⓒ
Dongducheon Bandabi Sports Center, which opened in July 2023, is a public sports facility used by both disabled and non-disabled people, and was created to expand opportunities for disabled people to participate in sports and support healthy leisure in daily life.
The center is operated based on the principle of ‘priority use of persons with disabilities’ and serves as a base for creating an inclusive sports environment in the region.
‘Bandabi’ is the mascot of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games and is a name that symbolizes an Asiatic black bear. ‘Banda’ means half moon, and ‘bi’ means a monument commemorating the competition. Like this symbol, the center was designed so that anyone can use it without inconvenience by applying the barrier-free concept to the movement route and overall facilities.
The facility was created as a complex living sports space with one underground floor and three above-ground floors. It is equipped with an underwater exercise room, a physical training room, and a walking track, and is characterized by a design that takes rehabilitation and relaxation beyond simple physical activities into consideration.
Operating hours are from 9 AM to 10 PM on weekdays, 9 AM to 6 PM on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays and public holidays. The walking track and water exercise room are closed on Saturdays.
This center’s strength is its customized programs that focus on water exercise. We operate one-on-one or two-on-one water exercises tailored to the disabled, as well as joint function strengthening courses, free water exercises for people with developmental disabilities, and Eoullim free water exercises, and we have improved safety by deploying professional instructors at all times.
In addition, a daily sports program operated by the Dongducheon City Sports Association for the Disabled will also be held. We are recruiting for a variety of sports, including badminton, table tennis, yoga, walking classes, line dancing, and e-sports, divided into the first and second halves.
These efforts were recognized externally as well. Dongducheon Bandabi Sports Center was selected as the ‘Best Sports Facility for the Disabled in 2025’ and won the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award, establishing itself as a model example of a regional integrated sports facility.
The joint function strengthening water exercise program, which has a long waiting list due to high participant satisfaction, will open one additional class in March to recruit new members.
The water exercise program is operated by a lottery waiting list, and the application deadline is 6 p.m. on the 24th. Remaining members of the fitness room will be recruited on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 9 a.m. on the 25th.
For information about programs and usage, please contact the water exercise room or information desk at Dongducheon Bandabi Sports Center.
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