Taichung Pioneers Nationwide Children's Sports City Upgrade: 5th Children's Sports Center to Open by End of August

Taichung City Government continues to build Taiwan's first-ever 'children's version of national sports centers,' having completed four dedicated children's sports centers in Shalu, Beitun Dongfeng, Xidadun, and Dajia Rinan. These centers have collectively welcomed over 400,000 visitors and offered more than 1,200 classes, helping an increasing number of children develop regular exercise habits from an early age.

The Sports Bureau announced that the city's fifth dedicated children's sports center, the 'Xiqu Children's Sports Center,' will begin trial operations from August 21 to 27 and officially open on August 28. Featuring children's martial arts as its specialty, the new center will further enrich Taichung's 'one center, one特色' children's sports landscape.

Located on the 4th floor of the Meicun Comprehensive Service Park, the Xiqu Children's Sports Center spans over 300 ping and includes one children's multipurpose court and three multi-functional classrooms. Drawing inspiration from the historical legacy of the site and the U.S. Navy SEALs' values of courage, discipline, and teamwork, the facility is themed as the 'Little SEALs Club,' creating a vibrant and energetic environment. It will offer diverse martial arts programs such as fencing, judo, karate, and taekwondo, encouraging children to bravely try new activities in a safe and fun setting, fostering confidence, focus, and teamwork.

The Sports Bureau noted that each of the four already-opened children's sports centers has its own unique features, with many children gradually forming regular exercise habits after their first experiences. In particular, climbing and bouldering experiences at the Beitun Dongfeng and Xidadun centers, along with skateboarding classes at the Shalu center, have become highly popular among parents. With the addition of the Xiqu center, the city's fifth dedicated facility will focus on children's martial arts, offering even more diverse sports options and completing the 'one center, one特色' children's sports map.

The Sports Bureau emphasized that the city is advancing children's sports services through a dual-track approach—'national and children's sports centers' and 'dedicated children's sports centers.' Currently, Taichung offers children's exclusive sports spaces and programs at 16 venues, including 10 national and children's sports centers, 5 dedicated children's centers, and the Harbor Sports Park. Programs cover a wide range of activities such as preschool gymnastics, dance, fitness, roller skating, and various ball sports, enabling parents to easily find suitable sports venues near their homes and lowering the barrier to physical activity.

In addition to the upcoming Xiqu center, the city continues to expand children's sports spaces. The Taichung International Tennis Center's attached children's sports center, currently undergoing interior renovation, will integrate racket sports like tennis and pickleball with an outdoor artificial turf play area. The planned Wufeng Fitness Center's children's sports center will integrate existing facilities to create children's fitness rooms, mini tennis courts, and artificial turf play zones, forming dynamic spaces that combine sports, exploration, and play.

The Sports Bureau stressed that the city will continue to refine children's sports spaces and program planning based on district needs and facility characteristics, building a more comprehensive children's sports service network. This initiative aims to help more children develop regular exercise habits from a young age, explore through play, grow through sports, and continuously build a child-friendly, healthy, and vibrant sports city.