*Poetry doesn’t have to exist far away; it can be woven into our everyday lives.*
Article and photos by Mika Shen, volunteer at SOW: The Society of Wilderness
Do you know of any spots, eateries, facilities, or intriguing stories around the SOW Taipei branch on Zhaoguang Street in Zhongzheng District? Volunteers attending classes at our Taipei branch often ask about nearby attractions or restaurants. Inspired by this curiosity, we decided to create a Green Map specifically for the SOW Taipei branch as part of the “10th Green Map Instructor Training” project. (see it below in the original format and here, on the Green Map Platform. )
One essential step in creating a Green Living Map is field exploration. As soon as you step out of the Taipei branch, you’ll see the large, lush Yongchang Vil. Park right in front. This park is home to several remarkable trees known as *Hu Sun Trees*, which are over 50 years old and protected by Taipei City. Yongchang Park is famous for its shaded areas and terrazzo slides. Walking left on Zhaoguang Street, you’ll encounter St. Vianney Catholic Church. Once the residence of former Information Bureau Director Mr. Ye Xiangzhi, this Japanese-style house was purchased in 1961 and temporarily used as a chapel, overseen by Father Du’erwei. In 1967, Father Sindamu transformed the chapel into a kindergarten, obtained significant funding from West Germany, and reconstructed the original residence into a five-story building, completed in 1972.
Continuing along Lane 260 and arriving at No. 12, you’ll find the Joyful Vegetable Garden on the right. This was originally a dormitory for the Tobacco and Alcohol Bureau, covering about 86 square meters. Since 2010, Village Chief Chen Wenru has utilized municipal and community resources to transform the space into “Neighbor’s Garden” in 2011. Later, in 2015, in response to Taipei’s “Garden City” policy, they collaborated with the Parks and Street Lighting Office of the Public Works Department to further develop the garden, eventually creating the “Joyful Vegetable Garden” we see today.
After exploring these areas, we uncovered over 30 stories unique to the SOW Taipei area. Not being a local, Mika wanted to engage the local leaders in promoting this map within the community. At an event, I met the chair of the Xinyongchang Community Development Association, along with the volunteers from Joyful Vegetable Garden, and began discussing the Yongchang Vil. Green Map. It turned out that the association had recorded stories about local landmarks with contributions from elderly community members, making it a treasured collection. Thus, a collaboration emerged to create a Green Map for SOW Taipei and Yongchang Vil. Community, with Mika designing the map and the association providing written records from community elders. Some of these stories were previously shared only orally, but thanks to this project, the association chair documented them in writing for us.
On Ningbo West Street, across from Yongchang Vil. Park, stands a representative wartime public building from the Japanese colonial era: the Ma Chuang Ding District Assembly Hall and Office. The association has organized activities to raise awareness of historic buildings, and during these events, they invited the SOW Taipei Green Map team to introduce how green maps can be applied. A unique “future green map” of the Ma Chuang Ding Hall and Office was created. This marked the beginning of a closer collaboration between SOW Map and Yongchang Vil. They invited us to set up a booth during the Mid-Autumn Festival and later to share our co-created *SOW Taipei and Yongchang Vil. Online Green Map* at their annual community event.
The Green Map core value lies in using maps to connect people with proactive actions within their communities. It serves to enhance environmental awareness, provide practical environmental resources, strengthen community cohesion, promote sustainable development, support community governance and decision-making, encourage education and training, and increase tourism appeal. The online Green Map we co-created has gradually connected SOW Taipei’s community, which aligns with our long-term goals for development.
On the *SOW Taipei and Yongchang Vil. Online Green Map*, you can discover these locations and their stories: the Wild Green Taipei Branch, the Fu’an Child Services Center (formerly the Lin Yuan Group mansion, renowned for soy sauce production), the Longkou Market named after the Pingpu Indigenous group, the Police Housing Complex on Zhangzhou Street built in 1960, Yongyi Temple, the bespoke dessert shop Mianjiao, Fengren Pharmacy (Taiwan’s first pharmacy to adopt a traditional design), the IMMA base focused on recycling, Ah Nan’s sesame oil chicken (recommended by Michelin’s Bib Gourmand), Monga fish cakes, the Namgichang night market, New South Seafood Restaurant on Tingzhou Road, Wang Qingtu Memorial Parking Lot, Wanxin Green Space, the original Ma Chuang Ding District Assembly Hall and Office, among others.
Click the link below, save it in your maps, and the next time you visit SOW Taipei or Yongchang Vil.in Zhongzheng District, you can take a stroll and discover the unique charm of this area!
**SOW Taipei and Yongchang Vil. Online Green Map
** https://reurl.cc/93LVxa** and on the Green Map PlatformWe look forward to more communities crafting their own Green Maps and bringing green practices into their everyday lives.
Original article: https://www.sow.org.tw/blog/20241108/43489
