Gushan Sports Center Opens in Kaohsiung; Mayor Chen Promises 4 More by Year-End

Central News Agency, Kaohsiung, May 23. The Gushan Sports Center in Kaohsiung officially opened today. Mayor Chen Chi-mai stated that the new sports center, built with an investment of 370 million NTD, is located at the border of Zuoying and Gushan districts and serves a large population. He added that four more centers in Nanzih, Sanmin, Luzhu, and Siaogang will be opened by the end of the year. In his speech, Mayor Chen noted that the number of visits to sports centers across the city exceeded 2.16 million last year, a significant increase from 1.31 million in 2024, and expressed hope that citizens would make good use of the centers to improve their health and develop good exercise habits. Currently, the Nanzih, Sanmin, Luzhu, and Siaogang sports centers are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, while the Qishan Sports Center is expected to be completed next year. Mayor Chen said that Kaohsiung has made rapid progress in industrial transformation and urban development in recent years, making the promotion of sports for all particularly important. The sports center not only meets diverse exercise needs but also provides a comfortable indoor environment in response to Kaohsiung's hot climate. According to the Kaohsiung Sports Development Bureau, a survey released in April this year showed that the exercise participation rate in Kaohsiung reached 86.4%, ranking 4th in the country and 2nd among the six major municipalities. The regular exercise rate is 38%, showing stable growth for six consecutive years. In addition, the proportion of citizens with high BMI dropped from 41.3% in 2024 to 38.1% in 2025. After the ceremony, Mayor Chen inspected and experienced the gym, badminton courts, and pickleball courts, feeling the charm of pickleball and the functions of various fitness equipment. He also thanked TIM Company for bringing professional sports brand management experience to Gushan to provide quality services to citizens. The Sports Development Bureau stated that the Gushan Sports Center is the second newly built sports center in Kaohsiung, transformed from the old campus of Zhongshan Elementary School, and is an important achievement of the city government in revitalizing campus space and promoting community integration. The facility includes a professional gym, multi-purpose courts, and various classrooms, providing advanced fitness equipment, indoor pickleball courts, aerobics and yoga classes, and various community courses. To give back to citizens, the Gushan Sports Center is offering trial operation discounts, including 20% off group and coaching courses, a limited daily quota of 20 free InBody body composition measurements, and photo-check-in events.