Busan City on the 12th announced a development plan to turn the area around the reservist training ground in Sinpyeong, Saha District, into a "complex culture and sports space."
According to the city's announcement that day, the 224,250-square-meter (about 67,835-pyeong) training ground site will be created as a key hub of social overhead capital (SOC) for daily life, where people can enjoy sports, culture, and relaxation.
The site had been a military facility for more than 40 years, but it became idle land under the Ministry of National Defense's 2022 plan to integrate and relocate reservist training grounds.
In response, the city decided to create a complex culture and sports space to strategically meet the growing demand for everyday sports among citizens and the need to expand complex sports spaces in western Busan's living area. It plans to build outdoor climbing and an indoor swimming pool, and to push for the establishment of a library.
Taking into account fiscal conditions and execution capacity, the city will advance the project in two phases. In phase one, it will build complex culture and sports facilities such as a multipurpose gymnasium, outdoor sports facilities, and parking lots, followed by additional everyday sports facilities in phase two.
Phase one will be carried out across the area where existing military facilities are scattered. The project cost is estimated at about 28 billion won. Starting this year, the city will go through administrative procedures such as a decision on urban planning facilities (sports facilities) and establishing a master plan, then begin construction after design development and land acquisition next year. Completion is targeted within 2029.
Phase two will be carried out across the site to the east of the phase-one project area. The city plans to draw actively on citizen demand and establish a development plan so that optimal facilities functionally linked with the complex culture and sports facilities can be built.
Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon said, "The development of the area around the Sinpyeong reservist training ground is a core urban balanced development project that recreates a military facility into an everyday space for citizens," adding, "We will build a multifaceted cooperation system to secure national and city funds and reduce project costs, and push the project forward with speed."