Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung visited the Tanzi District’s Xintian Hiking Trail early this morning to inspect the first phase of trail improvement works, which were completed on December 18. He hiked along a 2-kilometer section of the trail together with city councilors Hsiao Long-tse and Chang Ya-___. He stated that next year, the city will continue to allocate a budget of NT$10 million to renovate the third trail and will prioritize extending the Xintian Hiking Trail to Fengdongshi Stone to connect it with the Dakeng Hiking Trail System. In the future, the city aims to create a 100-kilometer network of hiking trails across Taichung.
Ye Ching-long, head of the Tourism Engineering Section at the Tourism and Travel Bureau, pointed out that the Xintian Hiking Trail, located in the Juxing Mountain area of Longxing Lane in Tanzi District, was established by Taichung County Government in 1991 (the 80th year of the Republic of China). It is divided into three sections—first, second, and third—with a total length of about 3 kilometers, including approximately 2 kilometers of wooden boardwalks. The highest elevation along the trail reaches 495 meters. This year, the bureau has utilized a budget of NT$10 million to repair elements such as handrails and signage systems along the first section, completing the work on December 18.
City Councilor Hsiao Long-tse reflected local opinions, expressing hope that the Xintian Hiking Trail could be extended to Fengdongshi Stone to further connect with the Dakeng Hiking Trail System. Chang Ya-___ expressed gratitude to the municipal government for responding to local residents’ needs by renovating the trail and hopes that the public can hike Taichung’s 100-kilometer trail before tackling Taiwan’s famous "hundred peaks."
Lin Chia-lung noted that during weekends and holidays, families are encouraged to hike together. He has instructed the Tourism and Travel Bureau to comprehensively review the safety of Taichung’s 37 hiking trails, spanning approximately 75 kilometers, and to invest an additional NT$220 million to develop 25 kilometers of new hiking trails. The goal is to establish a 100-kilometer hiking trail network, with the planning to be completed by mid-next year and the full development to be carried out within two years. Regarding the local suggestion to extend the Xintian Hiking Trail to Fengdongshi Stone and connect it with the Dakeng Hiking Trail System, he also instructed the Tourism and Travel Bureau to prioritize the project.
Lin Chia-lung emphasized that following this year’s renovation works, the municipal government has allocated NT$10 million next year to complete the remaining unfinished sections of the trails, ensuring the entire 2-kilometer wooden boardwalk is safe and easy to walk. Hiking trails should not consist only of concrete but should also incorporate landscape, ecology, and cultural history. The city government is also collaborating with local historians to research the human and historical stories of the trails, giving them educational value in addition to promoting physical activity. This approach is expected to attract more domestic tourists to come to Taichung for hiking.
(China Times)