Dalu Community

Dalu Community is situated on the west side of Jiapu Road, off the Shuishang Interchange of National Freeway No. 1. Specifically, it's approximately 500 meters from the Shuishang Interchange exit, along Jiapu Road (County Road 168) heading towards the Chiayi County Government. It represents an intermediate rural community, bridging urbanized areas and traditional agricultural settlements. The residents' attachment to the land is not driven by material needs for economic sustenance, but by a deep psychological connection to their hometown and its people. This profound love for their native place inspires community elites to actively participate in community work, collectively striving for a high standard of culture, environmental protection, ecological awareness, and vibrant health. Their goal is to create a beautiful community environment and an ecological, organic home, working towards the sustainable development of the community. A distinctive landscape feature of the community is its 'water storage ponds,' which were essential irrigation facilities in rural areas during times of undeveloped water conservancy. Currently, two large public ponds still exist within the community. The public land adjacent to these ponds was designed and DIY-built by community volunteers in 2003 and 2004, transforming them into a beautiful community nursery garden and Dalu No. 3 Environmental Park. For the 'Community Nursery Garden,' the community team initiated the 'Garden Mutual Aid Association,' drawing inspiration from the ancient spirit of 'labor exchange.' Over six weekends, they completed the nursery garden, which spans more than 100 ping (approximately 330 square meters). Subsequently, the community team expanded from its original women's group, with many husbands, fathers, and sons of the mothers joining the community development efforts. This established a very solid human resource foundation for Dalu's community building. Thanks to this strong community consensus, all activities promoted by the community have been exceptionally smooth and successful. The 'Dalu No. 3 Environmental Park' primarily employs ecological engineering methods. In addition to a recreational pavilion and eco-friendly permeable paving, the space also incorporates kitchen waste composting bins, demonstrating household organic compost production. The aim is for the overall space to function as an educational and entertaining facility. Furthermore, 'Dalu Zhaicheng Park' is another significant landscape feature of Dalu Community. 'Zhaicheng' (蔗埕) refers to a sugar cane transshipment station, which played a vital role in the history of Taiwan's sugar industry culture. In earlier years, the Taiwan Sugar Corporation's narrow-gauge trains, transporting raw sugar cane to the Nanjin Sugar Refinery, passed through Dalu Village, leading to the establishment of Dalu Zhaicheng. After the narrow-gauge train service ceased, Dalu Zhaicheng was neglected, becoming occupied for cultivation and accumulating debris, gradually turning into a community eyesore. Through the concerted efforts of community residents, in 2004, the 'Dalu Zhaicheng Community Exchange Center Establishment Project' received an NT$850,000 subsidy from the Council for Cultural Affairs' New Homeland Community Development Project. Utilizing ecological engineering methods, community participation, and hired labor for material procurement, they cleared tracks that had been buried for over 20 years, rebuilt a standard narrow-gauge train platform, completed ecological greening and visual beautification, and restored a rare foot-operated water pump. To showcase the history of 'Zhaicheng,' they specifically repurchased a 'raw sugar cane car' and a 'molasses car' from Taiwan Sugar Corporation and placed them in Zhaicheng Park. This lush, ecologically rich Zhaicheng cultural space, embodying both spatial regeneration and cultural revitalization, has added a 1,200-ping (approximately 3,960 square meters) multifunctional community recreational park to the Chiayi County plains. Dalu Community is a large natural park exclusively for its residents. The community team upholds the vision of 'Butterflies fluttering before green ponds, Dalu Garden, a watery homeland' for community development. They follow three main principles to transform Dalu into a garden: mutual aid through labor exchange, ecological engineering, and waste reuse, personally crafting every beautiful corner within the community. When you visit in person, please take the time to admire Dalu Garden, where butterflies flutter before green ponds!