TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hsinchu City Government held a press conference on Wednesday, revealing numerous structural and safety issues with the ongoing renovation of Hsinchu Baseball Stadium.
The event was chaired by Hsinchu Acting Mayor Chiu Chen-yuan (邱臣遠). Attendees included city government employees and elected officials, per CNA.
Hsinchu Public Works Director Chen Ming-cheng (陳明錚) said the city government had agreed to let a subcontractor backfill part of the stadium with bricks, tiles, and stones. However, topsoil removal found other man-made materials that were not approved as backfill, with the items also unrelated to the former stadium completed in the 1970s.
Chen added that two independent structural appraisals of the stadium revealed the stadium did not meet safety requirements. As a result of these findings, the city government is required to revise the stadium’s design.
Hsinchu Acting Mayor Chiu Chen-yuan said individuals involved in the renovation of the Hsinchu Baseball Stadium have been reported to the Control Yuan and prosecutors. Furthermore, the general contractor for the renovation work will be identified as a “disqualified vendor" in a government procurement bulletin.
Chiu said the municipal government is still clarifying the terms of the contract and liability, as well as losses and potential compensation from the general contractor. It is also continuing the topsoil removal project.
KMT Hsinchu City Councilor Chen Ching-ling said Hsinchu Baseball Stadium has structural problems, and he called on the municipal government to confirm the strength of concrete in the stadium as well as the underground parking lot. A check of rebar bindings and other construction will also need to be carried out.
The DPP’s Hsinchu council caucus also issued a press release stating the stadium has yet to pass safety inspections, with all contract violations the responsibility of the construction company or subcontractors. The DPP fully supports an investigation and calls upon the municipal government to be transparent.
New Power Party Hsinchu County Councilor Lin Yen-fu (林彥甫) said the municipal government should do its best to move quickly on the project. Lin said that only one page discussed a timeline for improvement in the 28-page briefing for the press conference.
