Popular tourist spot Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall became a controversial topic when the management cut down trees near the smoking area, upsetting several people.
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Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, a popular spot for locals to stroll around and relax, came under scrutiny when actor Tai Chih-yuan (邰智源) posted on his social media the removal of trees near one of the entrances and the establishment of a smoking area. Tai expressed his disbelief and criticized the move as absurd.
A passerby says that having a smoking area is not appropriate and that removing it would be better because the air would be better for activities like exercising. Another individual remarked that public places, especially popular and well-known attractions, should ideally be smoke-free.
In response to the criticisms, the management of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall explained that the tree removal was solely to address the infection of root rot in the trees and was unrelated to the smoking area. They added that the smoking area had been in place since 2009. However, the management decided to implement a comprehensive smoking ban starting December 12 in line with creating a smoke-free environment, thus discontinuing designated smoking areas.
Health Department Official Lin Hsueh-lan (林雪蘭) said checks were made to inspect whether the outdoor smoking area setup complied with regulations but found that the smoking area at Chiang Kai Shek had already been removed.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall management has removed the signage designating the smoking area and stickers have been placed indicating the comprehensive smoking ban. These measures only ensure that the health of the public, especially that of children, is protected.