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Taipei's costly sunshades draw fire from councilors over practicality and oversight

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Taipei City plans to install eight expensive sunshades in the Xinyi District, costing NT$7.44 million each, with completion expected by October.
  • Several city councilors criticized the project as impractical and a potential future burden, questioning its 30-year lifespan and maintenance.
  • Concerns were raised about the project bypassing council oversight by using funds below the threshold requiring review, and potential disparities with less expensive installations elsewhere.

Taipei City's plan to erect eight elaborate sunshades in the bustling Xinyi District has sparked a heated debate among city councilors, who question the project's practicality and cost. Each of the planned structures is slated to cost NT$7.44 million, with the first expected to be completed by late August and the rest by the end of October.

What unrealistic expectations do you have for a sunshade that needs to last 30 years?

— Miao Pao-yaSocial Democratic Party Councilor Miao Pao-ya criticizes the project's longevity and practicality.

Councilors from various parties voiced strong criticism during a committee meeting. Social Democratic Party Councilor Miao Pao-ya slammed the initiative as "contrary to common sense" and a way to "evade council supervision." She pointed out that the sunshades are expected to face cleaning issues within a year and questioned their supposed 30-year lifespan, likening them to large electronic products that quickly become obsolete.

This will become a hot potato.

— Hong Wan-chenCouncilor Hong Wan-chen expresses concern about the future maintenance burden.

Concerns about maintenance and long-term responsibility were also prominent. Democratic Progressive Party councilors Hong Wan-chen and Chung Pei-ling expressed apprehension that the project, managed by the Department of Urban Development, would become a "hot potato" for the Public Works Department, which seems unprepared for the upkeep. They argued it was unfair to burden the Public Works Department with costs and responsibilities for a project it did not initiate.

It's unfair to the Public Works Department.

— Chung Pei-lingCouncilor Chung Pei-ling questions the fairness of assigning maintenance responsibilities.

Further fueling the debate, councilors questioned the allocation of funds, noting that the project's cost fell below the NT$50 million threshold requiring legislative review. This raised suspicions that the city administration deliberately used funds from the average land price adjustment fund to bypass council oversight. Comparisons were also drawn to less expensive, simpler sunshades in other districts, like Ximending, leading to accusations of preferential treatment.

Stubborn as concrete.

— Li Jian-changDPP Councilor Li Jian-chang criticizes the city government's approach.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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