(不好意思,在另一個忠孝復興站主題內已有相當多關於建成圓環的討論,但我想應已足夠支持它獨立出來, 以便集中火力)
建成圓環不算難看
這一點在李先生的作品裡頭算是個少見的事
但看看以下的文章
這令我不忍去想像這些社區居民或攤商現在的表情....
寧夏路圓環的發展
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寧夏路是一條歷史悠久的一條街，直到幾年前，才正式改成『寧夏夜市』。現在的寧夏夜市，已經變成『年貨觀光大街』和華陰街、迪化街並稱年貨三大街。
寧夏夜市的年貨觀光大街的服務台
越夜越熱鬧的寧夏路
派來服務觀光年貨大街的阿姨
民國九十年，這裏的重要地標－－圓環正式走入歷史，談起這裏的歷史，老一輩的社區居民，都可以說上一段很長的故事。
這是拆除前的圓環。
已暫時綠化後的圓環
位於重慶北路、天水路、南京西路及寧夏路所環繞的圓環，也是我們社區當地建築的特色之一，圓環所代表的精神是滿圓完整的。這個圓環主要是發展為小吃的天地，比起社區年齡來說，圓環歷史更悠久，但現在的圓環上的建築已全部拆除，形成了一片綠地，準備重建。
為了了解當地圓環特色，我們特別去訪問了當地的建功里里長，它很熱心的把該里的發展提供給我們，以前的圓環裡面的小吃店總共有25家店面，各各都是嚇嚇有名的，而改建圓環後，也將會有29家店面出爐，這項計劃就叫做『建成美食圓環新建工程』。
未來的建成美食圓環－－『生命之環』
圓環的再造是社區的一件大事，我們採訪的幾位里長及居民，都不約而同的提到了圓環的事情，現在的進度已經到達了規畫完成的階段，市政府都發局也密集與社區里民開會，歸結了下列的願景。
建成美食圓環願景：
1.強化原城市結構 ----------------> 重新聚焦
再生巴洛克以都市為主體，以圓環為視覺焦點的都市設計構想
2.塑造都市新空間 ----------------> 重新連結
圓環南移連結週邊土地，形成新的生活廣場
3.創造新都市功能 ----------------> 品質再造
功能再造後的美食市集，改善原空間品質
舊的圓環在百年前形成，也走過鼎盛的時代，然後功成身退，新的圓環，不只是一個建築的重生，也載滿社區居民的期待。
圓環的企畫書說明了圓環再造指日可待
出處:http://163.32.84.102/cyberfair/2002%E5% ... %B1%95.htm
建成圓環
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mike2590
就我的映像中..
不管有沒有改建..建成圓環的生意早就大不如前..
商區早已外移到周圍的商圈
所以應該沒有圓環死不死的問題...
不過當初看到改建後的圓環..到也是嚇了一跳
建築體的部分似乎跟圓環這主題的時代有落差..
少了親切感..如果是仁愛圓環應該比較適合
道路的系統改變倒是許多設計者會選擇的模式...
環行道路改成方向明確的十字
以改善既有道路過窄無法發揮圓環的效果.
而原本捨棄的圓環部分道路變成開放空間.
增加了圓環的腹地.直接步行連結
也相當合理...
個人覺得圓環改建的失敗應該主要因素不在建築與規劃
而是整個使用設定與管理推廣的問題居大
圓環主體很小..小吃街的模式能容納的內容應該不多
而原有的小吃.似乎也很難推出幾個可以具代表性
可以吸引人主動前往的飲食....
圓環的商區應該是隸屬後火車站的批發商區
該區已經落寞很久了...
而晚上的飲食文化也是以寧夏夜市為主...
所以我認為錯誤應該是在功能的設定上...
現在政治人物都把罪過都送給了建築師
建築也只能當個代罪羔羊..背負失敗的原罪
不管有沒有改建..建成圓環的生意早就大不如前..
商區早已外移到周圍的商圈
所以應該沒有圓環死不死的問題...
不過當初看到改建後的圓環..到也是嚇了一跳
建築體的部分似乎跟圓環這主題的時代有落差..
少了親切感..如果是仁愛圓環應該比較適合
道路的系統改變倒是許多設計者會選擇的模式...
環行道路改成方向明確的十字
以改善既有道路過窄無法發揮圓環的效果.
而原本捨棄的圓環部分道路變成開放空間.
增加了圓環的腹地.直接步行連結
也相當合理...
個人覺得圓環改建的失敗應該主要因素不在建築與規劃
而是整個使用設定與管理推廣的問題居大
圓環主體很小..小吃街的模式能容納的內容應該不多
而原有的小吃.似乎也很難推出幾個可以具代表性
可以吸引人主動前往的飲食....
圓環的商區應該是隸屬後火車站的批發商區
該區已經落寞很久了...
而晚上的飲食文化也是以寧夏夜市為主...
所以我認為錯誤應該是在功能的設定上...
現在政治人物都把罪過都送給了建築師
建築也只能當個代罪羔羊..背負失敗的原罪
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大腸包小腸
多年前我在當工讀生時有接觸到建成圓環的競圖
我的打工事務所並不是李大師事務所
也就是說當時參與的那個案子是輸掉的
但這麼說不是說我參與的案子比較好
而是我有機會看到兩個案子
而且我必須說即便是我參與的案子贏了
今天可能依然是這個下場
主要的問題我想是program的設定
依設定來做需將攤商多層化
將原本一層樓的轉變為至少兩層樓
哪麼我想除非動線設計的超好
不然總有一層樓會玩不起來
另外
動線設計要有趣又會落入坡道過多的問題
而坡道跟攤商的模矩又很難整合(沒有人能在斜坡上吃蚵仔麵線吧)
這真是難解的設計題目
我想這也就是為何百貨公司地下小吃街通常只有一層樓的原因吧
對於新圓環建築的失敗
希望往後不再出現建築師講的口沫橫飛卻全然不是事實的建築
也希望建成圓環厚里豆,來表彰失策的業主也可以造就失敗的建築案例
我的打工事務所並不是李大師事務所
也就是說當時參與的那個案子是輸掉的
但這麼說不是說我參與的案子比較好
而是我有機會看到兩個案子
而且我必須說即便是我參與的案子贏了
今天可能依然是這個下場
主要的問題我想是program的設定
依設定來做需將攤商多層化
將原本一層樓的轉變為至少兩層樓
哪麼我想除非動線設計的超好
不然總有一層樓會玩不起來
另外
動線設計要有趣又會落入坡道過多的問題
而坡道跟攤商的模矩又很難整合(沒有人能在斜坡上吃蚵仔麵線吧)
這真是難解的設計題目
我想這也就是為何百貨公司地下小吃街通常只有一層樓的原因吧
對於新圓環建築的失敗
希望往後不再出現建築師講的口沫橫飛卻全然不是事實的建築
也希望建成圓環厚里豆,來表彰失策的業主也可以造就失敗的建築案例
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老狼
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站長eaGer
建成圓環 市長規畫 議員不看好
中國時報 C2/北市新聞 2007/01/10
建成圓環 市長規畫 議員不看好
【陳函謙 台北報導】
建成圓環熄燈逾半年，台北市長郝龍斌昨前往視察，強調以尊重在地意見、活絡地方經濟及保存圓環歷史記憶三大原則，推動未來經營，不只侷限於美食，要將周邊商圈及特色產業一併納入規畫。多名議員聞言搖頭表示，硬體缺失未改善，不看好圓環未來。
郝龍斌一行人從圓環的外環、內環、建物逐層視察。民進黨議員蔡坤龍說，建成圓環荒廢已逾半年，大片玻璃帷幕一度淪為練靶場，建物設計錯誤是最大原因，應立即撤換都發局長許志堅。
國民黨議員陳玉梅說，圓環設計不良，即使「飯店經營之神」嚴長壽也認為回天乏術。若要改變格局非同小可，牆壁內都埋有管線，「不是開盲腸，是全部內臟都換掉」，需要耗費巨資。她呼籲投標廠商要抱持「做公益、回饋鄉里」的心情，市府應讓廠商了解投入的成本，不要以為找到人接手就沒有責任，若圓環再次失敗，誰來負責？
建設局長陳雄文表示，華陰街有不少服飾材料和串珠飾品，天水路上還有茶行、木材行，未來可結合地方產業，規畫DIY推廣中心或創意產業展示，活絡地方經濟。
民進黨議員李文英當場表示反對。她說，把天水路的鈕釦街或小飾品擺進圓環，會讓美食文化完全失掉，「古早味」的記憶立刻消失。
李文英說，受限於硬體設計，要恢復商機幾乎不可能，但拆掉也很浪費公帑，希望有創意的人一起來挽救。
台聯議員簡余晏表示，支持者意見分歧，一派希望打掉圓環，一派擔心打掉會讓地方更沒落，她說，玻璃建物不利經營熱食，歐美等地類型建築多半經營舞廳、pub或酒廊，但地方不贊成，除非大幅改變硬體結構，她認為是沒有商機。
市場處科長王夢龍表示，目前已有科技、出版等三家廠商提出經營企畫書，名單目前不能洩露，預定十一日審查，再依市長指示，邀請在地意見領袖、產業代表及學者專家組成委員會，討論後才會有初步定論。
建成圓環 市長規畫 議員不看好
【陳函謙 台北報導】
建成圓環熄燈逾半年，台北市長郝龍斌昨前往視察，強調以尊重在地意見、活絡地方經濟及保存圓環歷史記憶三大原則，推動未來經營，不只侷限於美食，要將周邊商圈及特色產業一併納入規畫。多名議員聞言搖頭表示，硬體缺失未改善，不看好圓環未來。
郝龍斌一行人從圓環的外環、內環、建物逐層視察。民進黨議員蔡坤龍說，建成圓環荒廢已逾半年，大片玻璃帷幕一度淪為練靶場，建物設計錯誤是最大原因，應立即撤換都發局長許志堅。
國民黨議員陳玉梅說，圓環設計不良，即使「飯店經營之神」嚴長壽也認為回天乏術。若要改變格局非同小可，牆壁內都埋有管線，「不是開盲腸，是全部內臟都換掉」，需要耗費巨資。她呼籲投標廠商要抱持「做公益、回饋鄉里」的心情，市府應讓廠商了解投入的成本，不要以為找到人接手就沒有責任，若圓環再次失敗，誰來負責？
建設局長陳雄文表示，華陰街有不少服飾材料和串珠飾品，天水路上還有茶行、木材行，未來可結合地方產業，規畫DIY推廣中心或創意產業展示，活絡地方經濟。
民進黨議員李文英當場表示反對。她說，把天水路的鈕釦街或小飾品擺進圓環，會讓美食文化完全失掉，「古早味」的記憶立刻消失。
李文英說，受限於硬體設計，要恢復商機幾乎不可能，但拆掉也很浪費公帑，希望有創意的人一起來挽救。
台聯議員簡余晏表示，支持者意見分歧，一派希望打掉圓環，一派擔心打掉會讓地方更沒落，她說，玻璃建物不利經營熱食，歐美等地類型建築多半經營舞廳、pub或酒廊，但地方不贊成，除非大幅改變硬體結構，她認為是沒有商機。
市場處科長王夢龍表示，目前已有科技、出版等三家廠商提出經營企畫書，名單目前不能洩露，預定十一日審查，再依市長指示，邀請在地意見領袖、產業代表及學者專家組成委員會，討論後才會有初步定論。
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站長eaGer
-
Molder
Taipei Times
Feature: Ma Ying-jeou: how did he do in office?
SCORING THE MAYOR: Ma said that Taipei residents were his judges and that they would score his performance. So how has he fared, and will the experience help him?
By Mo Yan-chih
STAFF REPORTER
Tuesday, Dec 26, 2006, Page 4
Outgoing Taipei mayor Ma Ying-jeou raises his hands to wave farewell to Taipei City Government staffers yesterday as he left city hall after the succession ceremony that marked the end of his mayoralty.
PHOTO: SUNG CHIH-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Eight years ago, Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) took his oath of office as head of the Taipei City Government before becoming the first Taipei mayor to win re-election since popular elections for the post were re-introduced in 1994.
Handing over the city government to Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday, Ma's eight-year term officially came to an end.
"We have fought some good battles for the past eight years, some of them spectacular and others unknown ... My administration is a clean, harmonious and competitive team," Ma said in summing up his mayorship last Tuesday after presiding over his last municipal meeting.
Performance
Analysts and Taipei City councilors agreed that Ma's municipal record was far from perfect, while giving him credit for raising Taipei's competitiveness in the international community through several municipal developments.
"Ma's personal image has always overshadowed his municipal performance. His overall performance is not very impressive," said Yang Tai-shun (楊泰順), a professor of political science at Chinese Culture University.
"He and his team placed too much importance on protecting his image and ignored municipal developments."
Yang Tai-shun, professor of political science at Chinese Culture University
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City councilors Lin Yi-hua (林奕華) and Lai Su-ru (賴素如), on the other hand, said Ma's efforts on municipal projects, such as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) construction and the city's wireless network, should be recognized.
Under Ma's administration -- with six MRT lines already completed, and ongoing construction of seven more -- daily passenger traffic reached 1.1 million. It is clear that more residents were encouraged to take advantage of public transportation.
The quality of the city's MRT system was affirmed in the eyes of the international community, as it was rated by the University of London's Railway Technology Strategy Center as the most reliable among the world's 25 major metro systems for the second time last year.
With an ambition to turn Taipei into an international technology hub, Ma initiated the WiFly project -- the extensive wireless network whose coverage has reached 90 percent of Taipei's population this year.
Although the municipal network, with a monthly fee of NT$399 (US$12), has attracted only 32,000 of Taipei's 2.6 million residents so far, the service has allowed people to go online in MRT stations, Starbucks coffee shops and more than 600 7-Eleven convenience stores. It has also played a role in making savings in the city government's budget, cutting phone bills, for example, by switching to VoIP systems from traditional phone lines.
Environment
On environmental issues, Taipei was the first city to implement the "Per Bag Trash Collection Fee" policy in 2000, reducing its garbage by 60 percent and increasing the recycling rate to 10 percent by last year.
Chen Yun-ren (陳永仁), director of Taipei City's Department of Environmental Protection, said that with such progress the department expected to reach its goal of "total recycling and zero landfill" by 2010, when all municipal solid waste will either be recycled or reused.
As an advocate of good health, Ma was a mayor who devoted a great effort to promoting physical exercise. Besides the construction of the Taipei Arena and public sports centers in each of the 12 districts, Ma's administration also added 80 swimming pools and extended biking routes and trails in and around the city.
"I heard many people complaining about having no place to go for exercise. Now that we have made exercise facilities accessible and affordable there won't be any excuse for our residents to get lazy," Ma said earlier last week during a ground-breaking ceremony for a new sports center in Xinyi District.
Prevention
On disaster prevention, the 921 earthquake in 1999, Typhoon Nari in 2001 and the SARS epidemic in 2003 prompted the city government to put a great deal of effort into preventative measures. The Taipei Urban Search and Rescue Team was established in 2000, the city's disaster-prevention capabilities were strengthened and more than 90 percent of proposed dike construction has been completed.
Poor performance in response to the incidents listed above, however, seriously dented Ma's reputation and led the public to question his leadership qualities.
Ma has been criticized for his handling of several crises, including his decision to lock down Taipei Municipal Hoping Hospital after the SARS virus was detected among medical personnel. The move failed to stop SARS from spreading and generated panic.
Ma also took flak over the incident involving "little sister Chiu," a young girl who died from injuries received after being beaten by her father. The girl died while awaiting treatment amidst bureaucratic bumbling at Taipei Municipal Renai Hospital.
Severe flooding in Taipei lasting for days in 2001 after Typhoon Nari struck the city also chipped away at Ma's image, as the public watched a swamped and indecisive administration acting too slowly, unable to negotiate with the central government to solve the mess.
City officials involved in scandals, including illegal profiteering from road paving projects, and Ma's recent embroilment in the controversy surrounding the use of his mayoral fund, further tarnished his image and generated criticism of the city government's integrity.
Aides
Questioning the mayor's choice of administrative aides, Ku Chung-hwa (顧忠華), a professor of sociology at National Chengchi University, said the similarity of the aides, most of them academics, was a major factor in Ma's "dull performance" as mayor.
"He is a conservative mayor who did not bring innovative developments to the city. The striking similarity of his aides is the biggest problem. What the administration sought was not to make any mistakes, rather than building the city," Ku said.
Yang agreed that Ma's administrative team has been like a "screw that is on the loose side."
"He and his team placed too much importance on protecting his image and ignored municipal developments," Yang said.
The administration, analysts said, were involved in many failed municipal policies, including the traditional markets renovation project.
Renovation
Jiancheng Circle, the city's oldest night market, was forced to shut down in July after a NT$200 million (US$6.17 million) project to turn the market into a modern, two-story building housing 25 food booths failed to revive it.
The Longshan Temple Underground Mall and Ximen Market shared similar fates, as the renovation projects only expedited the decline of business in the area.
Huang Rei-mao (黃瑞茂), a professor of architecture at Tamkang University, said Ma's urban renewal plan failed to understand the average person's needs, and did not take historical, cultural and emotional aspects of locations into consideration when setting up the projects.
DPP City Councilor Lee Chian-chang (李建昌) agreed. He said the urban renewal plan revealed the administration's sense of superiority, which prevented the city government formulating practical plans that could satisfy residents' basic needs.
"My impression is shaped by his failed policies. I can only give him a score of 49 percent for his eight years of work," he said.
Lee also lashed out at the city government's merger of 10 municipal hospitals into one unit last year. He said it had failed to provide a professional environment for medical staff or better health care for Taipei's residents.
While the Taipei City Department of Health's aim was to integrate medical resources to improve the quality of medical care, the increased workload and lower pay have scared 288 doctors and 522 nursing staff away since the merger, according to statistics from the hospital.
In response to criticism of his policies Ma acknowledged his administration's handling of the SARS epidemic and Typhoon Nari "caused some damage," and that the projects for renovation of traditional markets had failed.
"But I believe I have spared no effort for the past eight years, and have enjoyed some achievements. However, Taipei residents are my ultimate judges, and it is they who will score my performance," Ma said during his final meeting with the press.
Comparison
However, compared with some DPP local government heads, such as former Kaohsiung mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and former Ilan county commissioner Chen Ding-nan (陳定南), who both left their positions after impressive work -- Hsieh's renovation project on Kaohsiung's Love River and Chen's work on Dongshan River Water Park at Ilan -- Ma's mayorship was not a particularly valuable source of experience in his political resume.
"Many of his municipal policies were a continuation of previous works. There is not one development that Taipei residents would particularly recall and remember him for," Yang said.
Leaving government to focus on his position as KMT chairman, both Yang and Ku said Ma will face only tougher challenges handling party affairs and the "Taipei Experience" will not be a big help in his quest for a 2008 presidential election win.
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Feature: Ma Ying-jeou: how did he do in office?
SCORING THE MAYOR: Ma said that Taipei residents were his judges and that they would score his performance. So how has he fared, and will the experience help him?
By Mo Yan-chih
STAFF REPORTER
Tuesday, Dec 26, 2006, Page 4
Outgoing Taipei mayor Ma Ying-jeou raises his hands to wave farewell to Taipei City Government staffers yesterday as he left city hall after the succession ceremony that marked the end of his mayoralty.
PHOTO: SUNG CHIH-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Eight years ago, Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) took his oath of office as head of the Taipei City Government before becoming the first Taipei mayor to win re-election since popular elections for the post were re-introduced in 1994.
Handing over the city government to Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday, Ma's eight-year term officially came to an end.
"We have fought some good battles for the past eight years, some of them spectacular and others unknown ... My administration is a clean, harmonious and competitive team," Ma said in summing up his mayorship last Tuesday after presiding over his last municipal meeting.
Performance
Analysts and Taipei City councilors agreed that Ma's municipal record was far from perfect, while giving him credit for raising Taipei's competitiveness in the international community through several municipal developments.
"Ma's personal image has always overshadowed his municipal performance. His overall performance is not very impressive," said Yang Tai-shun (楊泰順), a professor of political science at Chinese Culture University.
"He and his team placed too much importance on protecting his image and ignored municipal developments."
Yang Tai-shun, professor of political science at Chinese Culture University
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City councilors Lin Yi-hua (林奕華) and Lai Su-ru (賴素如), on the other hand, said Ma's efforts on municipal projects, such as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) construction and the city's wireless network, should be recognized.
Under Ma's administration -- with six MRT lines already completed, and ongoing construction of seven more -- daily passenger traffic reached 1.1 million. It is clear that more residents were encouraged to take advantage of public transportation.
The quality of the city's MRT system was affirmed in the eyes of the international community, as it was rated by the University of London's Railway Technology Strategy Center as the most reliable among the world's 25 major metro systems for the second time last year.
With an ambition to turn Taipei into an international technology hub, Ma initiated the WiFly project -- the extensive wireless network whose coverage has reached 90 percent of Taipei's population this year.
Although the municipal network, with a monthly fee of NT$399 (US$12), has attracted only 32,000 of Taipei's 2.6 million residents so far, the service has allowed people to go online in MRT stations, Starbucks coffee shops and more than 600 7-Eleven convenience stores. It has also played a role in making savings in the city government's budget, cutting phone bills, for example, by switching to VoIP systems from traditional phone lines.
Environment
On environmental issues, Taipei was the first city to implement the "Per Bag Trash Collection Fee" policy in 2000, reducing its garbage by 60 percent and increasing the recycling rate to 10 percent by last year.
Chen Yun-ren (陳永仁), director of Taipei City's Department of Environmental Protection, said that with such progress the department expected to reach its goal of "total recycling and zero landfill" by 2010, when all municipal solid waste will either be recycled or reused.
As an advocate of good health, Ma was a mayor who devoted a great effort to promoting physical exercise. Besides the construction of the Taipei Arena and public sports centers in each of the 12 districts, Ma's administration also added 80 swimming pools and extended biking routes and trails in and around the city.
"I heard many people complaining about having no place to go for exercise. Now that we have made exercise facilities accessible and affordable there won't be any excuse for our residents to get lazy," Ma said earlier last week during a ground-breaking ceremony for a new sports center in Xinyi District.
Prevention
On disaster prevention, the 921 earthquake in 1999, Typhoon Nari in 2001 and the SARS epidemic in 2003 prompted the city government to put a great deal of effort into preventative measures. The Taipei Urban Search and Rescue Team was established in 2000, the city's disaster-prevention capabilities were strengthened and more than 90 percent of proposed dike construction has been completed.
Poor performance in response to the incidents listed above, however, seriously dented Ma's reputation and led the public to question his leadership qualities.
Ma has been criticized for his handling of several crises, including his decision to lock down Taipei Municipal Hoping Hospital after the SARS virus was detected among medical personnel. The move failed to stop SARS from spreading and generated panic.
Ma also took flak over the incident involving "little sister Chiu," a young girl who died from injuries received after being beaten by her father. The girl died while awaiting treatment amidst bureaucratic bumbling at Taipei Municipal Renai Hospital.
Severe flooding in Taipei lasting for days in 2001 after Typhoon Nari struck the city also chipped away at Ma's image, as the public watched a swamped and indecisive administration acting too slowly, unable to negotiate with the central government to solve the mess.
City officials involved in scandals, including illegal profiteering from road paving projects, and Ma's recent embroilment in the controversy surrounding the use of his mayoral fund, further tarnished his image and generated criticism of the city government's integrity.
Aides
Questioning the mayor's choice of administrative aides, Ku Chung-hwa (顧忠華), a professor of sociology at National Chengchi University, said the similarity of the aides, most of them academics, was a major factor in Ma's "dull performance" as mayor.
"He is a conservative mayor who did not bring innovative developments to the city. The striking similarity of his aides is the biggest problem. What the administration sought was not to make any mistakes, rather than building the city," Ku said.
Yang agreed that Ma's administrative team has been like a "screw that is on the loose side."
"He and his team placed too much importance on protecting his image and ignored municipal developments," Yang said.
The administration, analysts said, were involved in many failed municipal policies, including the traditional markets renovation project.
Renovation
Jiancheng Circle, the city's oldest night market, was forced to shut down in July after a NT$200 million (US$6.17 million) project to turn the market into a modern, two-story building housing 25 food booths failed to revive it.
The Longshan Temple Underground Mall and Ximen Market shared similar fates, as the renovation projects only expedited the decline of business in the area.
Huang Rei-mao (黃瑞茂), a professor of architecture at Tamkang University, said Ma's urban renewal plan failed to understand the average person's needs, and did not take historical, cultural and emotional aspects of locations into consideration when setting up the projects.
DPP City Councilor Lee Chian-chang (李建昌) agreed. He said the urban renewal plan revealed the administration's sense of superiority, which prevented the city government formulating practical plans that could satisfy residents' basic needs.
"My impression is shaped by his failed policies. I can only give him a score of 49 percent for his eight years of work," he said.
Lee also lashed out at the city government's merger of 10 municipal hospitals into one unit last year. He said it had failed to provide a professional environment for medical staff or better health care for Taipei's residents.
While the Taipei City Department of Health's aim was to integrate medical resources to improve the quality of medical care, the increased workload and lower pay have scared 288 doctors and 522 nursing staff away since the merger, according to statistics from the hospital.
In response to criticism of his policies Ma acknowledged his administration's handling of the SARS epidemic and Typhoon Nari "caused some damage," and that the projects for renovation of traditional markets had failed.
"But I believe I have spared no effort for the past eight years, and have enjoyed some achievements. However, Taipei residents are my ultimate judges, and it is they who will score my performance," Ma said during his final meeting with the press.
Comparison
However, compared with some DPP local government heads, such as former Kaohsiung mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and former Ilan county commissioner Chen Ding-nan (陳定南), who both left their positions after impressive work -- Hsieh's renovation project on Kaohsiung's Love River and Chen's work on Dongshan River Water Park at Ilan -- Ma's mayorship was not a particularly valuable source of experience in his political resume.
"Many of his municipal policies were a continuation of previous works. There is not one development that Taipei residents would particularly recall and remember him for," Yang said.
Leaving government to focus on his position as KMT chairman, both Yang and Ku said Ma will face only tougher challenges handling party affairs and the "Taipei Experience" will not be a big help in his quest for a 2008 presidential election win.
This story has been viewed 848 times.
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