Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan will officially open a restored area of wharf directly in front of the former British Consulate at Takow July 28 as part of local government efforts to revitalize historical sites and boost tourism.
Restoration work included demolishing a harbor inspection office so that visitors now have an unbroken view of the old British consulate from the wharf, according to the Kaohsiung City Government’s Bureau of Cultural Affairs.
The work of the bureau’s Hamasen Restoration Project on this site has centered around renovating a historic route connecting the wharf, the adjacent consulate, and a walking trail that leads up a hill to the former British consular residence. A new visitors center in the shape of a K, representing Kaohsiung, has also been built at the side of the wharf.
Kaohsiung Deputy Mayor Shih Che said the project underscores the local government’s determination to maintain strong links between the city’s urban development and its maritime history. The wharf played a key role in shaping Kaohsiung into one of the nation’s foremost trading hubs.
Secretary-General to the President Chen Chu and Minister of Culture Cheng Li-chiun will host the opening ceremony July 28.
Launched in 2016, the Hamasen Restoration Project is part of the Ministry of Culture’s Reconstruction of Historical Scenes initiative funded by the government’s Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program. The NT$420 billion (US$13.7 billion) FIDP, running through August 2021, aims to meet Taiwan’s infrastructure needs for the next 30 years. (CPY-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw