This study has intended to analyze the building process of urban ecological community focused on Sannam-Dong Toad Eco-village, located in Cheongju City. Up until now, there have been numerous community movements attempted and failed. Will a community...
This study has intended to analyze the building process of urban ecological community focused on Sannam-Dong Toad Eco-village, located in Cheongju City. Up until now, there have been numerous community movements attempted and failed. Will a community within a city become an important element? The ecological crisis caused by the globalization of capitalism requires the transition of a paradigm. Building communities within a city in such societal phenomena with ecological values is a new model for the society. This study has analyzed the stages of community building based on literature review, interviews, and ten year field experience in the study site. The phases of building community were categorized as follows: the first phase as the formation of geograhical territory before the apartment association was established in December, 2007; the second phase as the formation of social interaction prior to the establishment of the Sannam Toad Eco-Village Resident Association in April, 2010; and the third phase as the community awareness after launching the resident association.
This study has found the following results by three phases classified as above. In the first phase, the ecological community building movement has been started to gather residents living around the Toad Eco-Park. The number of apartment complexes participating in the movement has reached up to eight. As a result, a voluntary resident association, the Sannam Toad Eco-Village Apartment Association was established.
In the second phase, over 20,000 residents of Toad Eco-Village positioned themselves at the center of social interactions and spread ecological values via various ecology education and cultural programs.
In the third phase, the results of resident awareness survey illustrated that most residents (more than 77% of responses) have shown their satisfaction to reside in the same village. Compared to the year 2009, the number of residents who want to continue with their residency was seen to have increased by over 6%. Based on the above results, it is possible to say that during the community building process, the willingness to reside in the same place increases. In addition, the local residents’ voluntary clubs have been formed and centered around village, so that the newspapers, resident associations, and the village enterprises have been created.
In conclusion, building Toad Eco-village is not in the completion phase but in the middle of building process with clear limitations. The limitations include enhancing the level of the integration of building community, training leader groups, expanding the volunteer activity system, and spreading the awareness of eco-community through building a solid networks between communities. During the process of overcoming the limitations, it is deemed that the communities in Sannam Apartment Complex would be able to be become ecological communities with success.