TAYA Pristine Homeland Foundation + Pingxi Revitalization Trolley Road(ETtoday News Cloud Report)
2021/12/21
ETtoday News Cloud Report
TAYA Green Inside Project's "Southern Spirit Award" 2021 lends stronger promotion of trolley road Chien Chia-Hung of Pingxi Revitalization creates the meaning of "movement" in travel
Reporter: Chang Hui-Yuan / Reporting from New Taipei City
Taiwan is rich in mineral resources, and faced a mining "gold rush" everywhere in its early years. Several wealthy families in many places also started out in mining and were enriched for generations through these gifts of nature, and a large number of commercial activities and settlements arose around the mines. After a mine would cease operations, , however, it would gradually fade into the past and could only be recalled in memory. The surrounding facilities gradually lost their luster due to disuse and disappeared into a desolate haze. Rare and well-preserved, the New Pingxi Coal Mine stands as the only remaining such facility in Taiwan, and it has now been transformed into a Coal Mine Museum. Promoting local revitalization through the New Pingxi Coal Mine Museum, Chien Chia-Hung and Pingxi Revitalization have even created a "trolley road" with great historical value. This has endowed the New Pingxi Coal Mine with fresh vitality and garnered the 2021 "Southern Spirit Award" in that year's TAYA Pristine Homeland Foundation Green Inside Project competition.
After rolling to a stop, coal-carrying trolleys granted new life through local revitalization
Chien Chia-Hung, Vice President of the Pingxi Revitalization Project, said: "At first, I was interested in industrial railways, so I started to write articles on the topic. Later, I discovered that the New Pingxi Coal Mine had still maintained complete mining facilities. It also featured the only electrified coal-carrying train still running in Taiwan, the 'One-Eyed Monk.' While static things like buildings are relatively easy to preserve, dynamic things are rarely preserved." Moreover, after the New Pingxi Coal Mine was transformed into a museum, they continued to use the trolley as a "sightseeing train" in the park in order to maintain the old railway system's operations. It thus became a pilgrimage site for rail enthusiasts. "A railway system is less likely to break down when it is in operation. It doesn't matter if it's just for fun, so long as it can be used consistently," said Chien Chia-Hung.
However, the trolley route promoted by Pingxi Revitalization is more than just "interesting." This 40-minute rail journey passes by more than 50 years of history of this period of "black gold." Climbing and combing through the Keelung River Basin, Pingxi Revitalization Project has determined the presence of over 50 mines and more than 30 trolley routes. "Because they had to carry coal, trolley routes tended to be relatively flat. As such, they typically became hiking trails after their decommissioning. For example, you can see the traces of trolley routes in many mountaineering records." Following Chien Chia-Hung's explanation, these hidden clues suddenly all become clear.
The New Pingxi trolley road stands as the only way to relive local memories of prosperous times in Taiwan's mining industry. Reconstruction of these memories relies on people like Chien Chia-Hung. "After chatting with local people, we found many interesting stories including how they took the train when they were children and what they remember about their lives at that time. We also found the local neighborhood chief, who had worked in coal mines for more than 20 years. The neighborhood chief said that he had not been there since it was closed in 1997, and he was moved that someone would come to investigate this history." In addition to observing the trolley route's role in creating a relationship between coal mines and settlements, the Pingxi Revitalization Projectalso connected memories of local life along its path.
More beneficial and cross-regional plan implementation by participating in the Green Inside Project Selection of TAYA Pristine Homeland Foundation
After investing in the New Pingxi trolley route, a long-term war of resistance like that waged for "cultural preservation" requires greater assistance because the key to local revitalization lies in "fostering local economic activity for local benefit." However, it is difficult to integrate plans across administrative regions because the Keelung River Basin trolley routes cut across counties and cities. For this reason, the initiative has not been supported by the public sector. "I just happened to learn about the Green Inside Project Selection of TAYA Pristine Homeland Foundation and wanted to apply and see if it might offer an opportunity. Since corporate sponsorship would not impose too many restrictions on us, I think this route is more flexible for us to engage in local revitalization. If the proposal was approved, we would gain support. CSR sponsorship needs to be based on mutual trust. It doesn't matter whether the investigation went well this year or if it was hindered by the pandemic. There is no time limit, but it is based on the promotion of environmentally friendly concepts such as environmental protection, living care, and Earth sustainability and the effect they have on surrounding people and things. And I also believe that this is the future of the Pristine Homeland that TAYA hopes to create," shared Chien Chia-Hung.。
大As a well-known energy brand, TAYA gives back to society starting from its own business and has further established the TAYA Pristine Homeland Foundation. Since 2007, the Green Inside Project Selection campaign has been launched to support the cultivation of environmentally friendly talent and action. In the process of participating in the Green Inside Project Selection, Chien Chia-Hung also got to know many like-minded partners. "Besides allowing us to make more connections within the region, it's also more beneficial to our cross-regional plans. And as long as we can participate, this offers a good opportunity for exposure as it allows more people to see what we are doing."
Heir to the period of "black gold," today's trolley road runs toward low carbon and green tourism
Pingxi Revitalization's trolley route brings together local recreational resources. It can construct various package itineraries, and furthermore takes the trolley route around the Keelung River as its main development target. Characterized by no need to establish a new route indicator system, it will adopt the principles of "no interference with the life of the original settlements" and "combination with existing resources and plans" in order to achieve the goals of low-carbon and green tourism. Through the trolley road, moreover, the meaning of "moving" in travel is granted. Chien Chia-Hung further hopes that more local people can be brought in the future so as to continue promotions of the trolley road and of the coal mine and railway culture of Pingxi, thereby keeping the story of this period of black gold alive.
Original source: https://www.ettoday.net/news/20211221/2129909.htm