Completion Ceremony of the Mankyeong River Fish Trail
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- blog.naver.com
Completion Ceremony of the Mankyeong River Fish Trail
"Following the Bibijeong Art Train, now featuring walkways, a skywalk, and a viewing area"
Reporter: Kim Wang-joong from the Wanju County Blog Reporter Group
Wanju County
The old Mankyeong River Bridge, known as the Bibijeong Art Train, was reborn through the completion ceremony of the 'Mankyeong River Fish Trail' on October 14.
Previously, only a portion of the area toward Wanju was utilized.
With the completion of the 'Mankyeong River Fish Trail', the entire length of the old Mankyeong River Bridge can now be utilized.
I am excited to share the joyful news from this meaningful completion ceremony.
Old Mankyeong River Bridge
The old Mankyeong River Bridge spans the Mankyeong River between the Samnye and Jeonju sections of the Jeolla Line.
The railway connecting Iri (now Iksan) and Jeonju was first opened in 1914.
At that time, the bridge over the Mankyeong River was a wooden bridge.
To export rice produced on Japanese farms, the Jeonbuk Light Railway Company started operating a private railway.
The light railway had a track gauge about half the width of the current rail.
Small trains ran on this narrow gauge.
In 1927, the Government-General of Korea acquired the Jeonbuk Light Railway Company and absorbed it into the national railway.
The name was changed to the Gyeongjeon Northern Line, and the narrow gauge tracks were converted to standard gauge.
The old Mankyeong River Bridge, which was initially a wooden bridge, was completed in its current form in 1928.
The old Mankyeong River Bridge was closed in 2011 due to the construction of a new bridge as part of the double-track electrification project of the Jeolla Line.
It became a bridge where trains no longer ran.
Wanju County developed the area into a tourist attraction by creating the Bibijeong Art Train using the decommissioned train in 2016.
It became an important tourist site in Samnye, connecting with nearby Bibijeong, the Book Village, and the Samnye Cultural Arts Village.
View of the previous railway from the Bibijeong Art Train
The Bibijeong Art Train, used as a café and restaurant, utilized 71 meters of the old Mankyeong River Bridge.
The remaining sections remained inaccessible.
Through this project, the remaining 405 meters now features walkways, a skywalk, and a viewing area, transforming the entire old Mankyeong River Bridge into a tourist facility.
The old Mankyeong River Bridge is registered as a national cultural heritage.
During this project, considerations were made to preserve its form without altering the bridge.
Reinforced glass was laid on the rails to allow visitors to experience walking on the tracks.
A viewing area in the shape of a steam locomotive was created in the middle.
This structure evokes memories of the trains that used to run here when the bridge was completed.
It will serve as a meeting place and a comfortable resting spot.
The completion ceremony of the Mankyeong River Fish Trail
The completion ceremony of the 'Mankyeong River Fish Trail' was held on a clear autumn afternoon at the multipurpose square next to the Bibijeong Art Train.
Prior to the ceremony, a pre-show was performed.
The first performance was a celebration by a guitar club.
The guitar performance, well-suited for the autumn atmosphere, touched the hearts of the attendees.
Next was a performance by the union farmer's band consisting of 13 towns and villages.
The members lined up and made their way around the event venue before taking the stage.
Through their musical performance, they conveyed the sentiments of the 13 towns and villages.
It was a lively performance that enhanced the sense of solidarity among the community.
With the conclusion of the union farmer's band performance, the main event of the 'Mankyeong River Fish Trail' completion ceremony began.
The host smoothly introduced the guests, and the head of the cultural history department at Wanju County gave a report on the progress.
A video showcasing the transformation of the old Mankyeong River Bridge was also screened.
The next part was a ceremony to award certificates to those who contributed significantly to the project.
Three individuals received certificates from the mayor of Wanju County.
Next was the congratulatory speech segment. Many distinguished guests, including the mayor of Wanju County, attended the ceremony.
Representatives from the attendees delivered several congratulatory speeches.
They conveyed words of encouragement and congratulatory messages for successfully completing the project despite the challenges.
The final part of the ceremony was the ribbon-cutting event.
As the guests went up on stage and simultaneously cut the ribbon, paper flower confetti fell from the sky like snow.
With the completion of the ribbon-cutting, the official ceremony concluded.
The attendees did not disperse immediately but walked together along the 'Mankyeong River Fish Trail'.
It was a meaningful first step on the day of the ceremony.
Passing the Bibijeong Art Train, we could see a busking scene by a guitar singer.
The guitar performance by Semicolon, a member of the Wanju County Cultural Community, was a festive addition before the ceremony started.
As we passed the busking area, the newly created section began.
One side is made of wood, while the other side is made of reinforced glass.
The railway is visible beneath the transparent glass.
With this new path, another connection between Wanju and Jeonju has been established.
Especially for cyclists, this path will allow easy access between the bike paths on both sides of the Mankyeong River.
Wanju County plans to provide bicycle rental services in line with the completion of the 'Mankyeong River Fish Trail'.
Bicycle promotion staff led the walk today, providing guidance.
As people finished walking the bridge, darkness began to settle over the 'Mankyeong River Fish Trail'.
This place is known for its beautiful sunsets; the atmosphere is indeed different from what we saw during the day.
The viewing area placed on the tracks formed a beautiful picture against the sunset.
The Mankyeong River Fish Trail: Wanju's Hotspot
Participating in both the completion ceremony and the walking event filled my heart with joy.
Every time I visited the Bibijeong Art Train, I felt a sense of emptiness, but I finally found fulfillment.
Now, I can walk along the 'Mankyeong River Fish Trail' and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Mankyeong River for a longer time.
In that sense, the 'Mankyeong River Fish Trail' will soon become a hotspot in Wanju.
I think I will visit more often to see the sunset.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/wanjugun/224444208826
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