Community center torn down to give old tree sunshine / 還千年茄苳樹日照 台中婦幼活動中心將拆　　　　　　　　　　

Back in Taiwan, in Taichung City, an Autumn Maple Tree over 1 thousand years old has long been dubbed the treasure of the city, but a community center located right next to it blocks all the sunlight from it. Recently, the city government decided to tear the community center down and move it to another location. This autumn maple tree is over one thousand years old, it is the oldest autumn maple tree in Taiwan's plain. However, a public activity center building has blocked the tree from getting sunshine. Taichung City Government decided to demolish the building for the sake of the old tree. Some people feel the decision is a pity. ==MR. HSU local resident== If the building has influenced over the tree's health, certainly you can tear down the building. But if there were no influence, then I feel it will be a pity. ==CHIANG HUI-FANG Neighborhood Chief== Some residents do not support the demolishing. It's like what they said, the building has been around for years, and if all the sudden the government wants to tear it down, some residents feel regretful. Local residents said the usage of the activity center had not been low, the demolishment will create impacts locally. But the Taichung City Government earned a majority of supports for the removal. ==KUO YAO-CHUAN Houlung Borough Chief== Of course I also feel it's a pity. But in order to care for the old tree, the demolishing will be unavoidable. We stopped a contractor from constructing a high building, therefore we have to be an example to others. The city government said, five years ago a contractor was to build a 28-floor building. After negotiation the contractor agreed to leave the space for the government. ==LIN CHIA-LUNG Taichung City Mayor== The building has blocked the old tree and affected its growth. You can see some dead woods and falling leaves. Therefore we decide to tear down the building and make this place more comfortable for living. The demolishment is scheduled to complete with three-month time. Landscape professionals will be on site to oversee the removal and care for the old tree from being hit. The tree area will be designed as an old tree ecological garden and the city government will build a new activity center somewhere in the borough. TRANSLATED BY：ANTHONY LIN 台中市這棵茄苳樹已經有千年的歷史，是台灣平地最老最大的茄苳樹，不過旁邊這棟婦幼聯合活動中心，卻檔住了茄苳樹的日照，台中市府為了不影響它的健康，決定將活動中心拆除，不過許多民眾覺得很可惜。 ==民眾 許先生== 你說如果對樹王公有影響 當然要拆掉啊 如果沒有影響要拆掉 我是覺得比較可惜啦 ==鄰長 蔣慧芳== 一部份是不支持(拆除)啦 因為就像這樣講的 這都是已經有一個歷史在了 你要臨時說要拆的話 有的會捨不得 民眾認為，活動中心使用率並不低，若拆除後對當地有一定影響，但經過市府多次與地方協調，最後取得多數人的同意，願意將活動中心拆除。 ==西區後龍里長 郭耀泉== 當然我也是覺得很可惜 但是為了照顧這棵老樹 這不得不的做法啦 因為我們當初建商叫他不要蓋 我們自己也要做給別人看 市府表示，五年前曾有建商準備在茄苳樹旁興建地上28層的大樓，經過協商後，建商同意讓市府保留該處土地。 ==台中市長 林佳龍== 它已經遮住了茄苳樹王 影響了它的成長 可以看到一些都有枯枝 甚至呢 落葉 所以我們決定把它拆除 然後能夠進一步讓這個環境 能夠更宜居 拆除工作預計三個月能完成，期間將聘請景觀專家監工，避免損傷茄苳老樹，未來將規畫為老樹生態園區，也做為民眾休閒空間，而當地的活動中心，市府也將另覓適當地點重建。 邱植培 彭煥群 台中報導