Love River
Love River | |
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Kaohsiung City | |
Kaohsiung Harbor | |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | Houbi Channel |
• right | Ta Kang Creek |
The Love River or Ai River (
The Love River was once heavily polluted, when raw sewage and industrial waste water flowed untreated into the river. Recent efforts by the city government to divert the waste water to the treatment plant in Cijin District has resulted in significantly improved water quality. Love River is now used for sightseeing, and there are duck boats, love boats and gondola rides for tourists to enjoy the city view. In 2018, mayor Han Kuo-yu proposed that a ferris wheel be built on the bank of Love River to create a romance industry and improve the economy.[1]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Ddm_2004_016_Love_River.jpg/170px-Ddm_2004_016_Love_River.jpg)
History
Before the urban development of the area, the river flowed in a wide and flat channel, used for irrigation and surrounded by farms. During the
Name
It was originally called Takao River, from the
Love River was designated the official name in 1972.
Treatment
In 1979, the government started to clean the river. The water was black and had a sewer-like odor. A set of floodgates were built on the river to capture trash and sewage and send it to a treatment plant. Unfortunately, the system only works from October to April because in the rainy season, May to September, the treatment system cannot cope with the increased flow and the floodgates must be opened, sending pollution into the lower stretch of the Love River. (The river here is tidal and so is safe to swim in the dry season.)
Tributaries
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Kaohsiung Night view along the Love River.
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Ferry rides are popular along the Love River.
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Hesi Road becomes lively at night.
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View of the River from Jhongjheng Bridge.
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Hesi Road early morning.
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Love River early morning.
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Sailboats on the Love River.
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Night view
Events
Lantern Festival
In 2008, the Kaohsiung Lantern Festival was held along the Love River. Since then, the Kaohsiung Lantern Festival became the most popular tourist attraction in Kaohsiung City every year. The festival usually begins a few days before the Lantern Festival and crosses the Western Valentine's Day on February 14 and ends after the Lantern Festival. The festival includes water dance, fireworks and art installations of lights and lanterns.
Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon Boat Festival is an important holiday and event in Taiwan. Many cities conduct dragon boat races and the Love River is the venue for Kaohsiung. At the 2009 World Games the dragon boat race was included in the competition.
Kaohsiung World Games
In 2009, the World Games hosted by the Kaohsiung City Government and the Love River became the first dragon boat race venue.
2018 Kaohsiung mayor's inauguration ceremony
On November 24, 2018, the Kuomintang mayoral candidate Han Kuo-yu was elected mayor of Kaohsiung. On December 25, 2018, an inauguration ceremony was held on the banks of Love River.[5]
References
- ^ 魯永明 (2018-11-22). "韓國瑜推愛情摩天輪 台師大教授林保淳:不是天馬行空". UDN 聯合新聞網.
- ^ "Love River". Round Taiwan Round.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-317-62638-1.
- ^ Articles> The River Running Through It: Kaohsiung'S Love River.
- ^ "Han Kuo-yu Sworn In as Kaohsiung Mayor|韓國瑜就職典禮 首開先例選在愛河畔". 25 December 2018.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Wilma Chou, Kaohsiung City's Love River brought back from the dead, Taiwan Journal, August 23, 2002