Candidate Puma Shen unveils plan for Taipei waterways — Taipei Times
Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen has unveiled a plan to restore the city’s waterways. The initiative, he said, draws on Singapore’s approach to urban water resource management, the Taipei Times reports.
Five ABCDE directions
Shen presented the program at a press conference at his campaign headquarters in Taipei’s Zhongzheng District. The plan has five priorities grouped under the name ABCDE: Active, Beautiful, Clean, Detention and Ecosystem.
Proposed measures include improving waterfront infrastructure along the Tamsui and Keelung rivers to make these areas more accessible to city residents. The candidate also proposes using wetlands and vegetation to improve water quality, as well as installing small facilities in schools and parks to retain excess water and strengthen the city’s capacity to counter flooding.
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According to Shen, during urban development many streams and irrigation canals in Taipei were covered over, filled in or incorporated into underground drainage systems. He said that water management in the city should encompass not only engineering solutions, but also education, culture and environmental protection. The initiative is also intended to restore waterways as one of the key factors in urban planning.
Proposal for free child care
Later that day, Shen attended a Halloween event near Tianmu Baseball Stadium, where he handed out sweets to children and visitors. One attendee, a 35-year-old Taipei designer surnamed Wu, positively assessed the candidate’s proposal to provide preschool children with up to four hours of free temporary care each week.
Currently, temporary care services in Taipei are available at designated facilities and mostly cost NT$200, or about US$6.13, per hour. Wu said such an initiative could give working parents more opportunities to rest on weekends or deal with urgent matters. In the election, Shen is competing against incumbent Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an of the Kuomintang.
