Citizens’ Consciousness Survey concerning the Installation of an Artificial Stream as a Means of Restoring the Old Waterways of Daegu

When the Japanese Empire demolished the fortress of Daegu Eupseong, the rivers that flowed into Daegu City were covered over. At present, most of the rivers in the urban area, such as Dalseo-cheon, Beomeo-cheon, Daemyung-cheon, Daegu-cheon, and Icheon-cheon, are concealed under concrete. These submerged rivers are old waterways with historical features, and there is a need to track and restore these waterways to improve the environment and landscape, and restore the ecology of the city. This study constitutes basic research on restoring the old waterway of Dalseo-cheon (which formerly comprised part of the moat of Daegu Castle) by creating an artificial stream in the area. The purpose of the study is to investigate citizens’ opinions on the introduction of such a stream, as well as on recreational and functional spaces that could be created alongside it. As a result of the study, we found that awareness of the covered waterways in Daegu City was low, but citizens generally considered it necessary to recover the old waterways, improve the residential environment, mitigate the urban heat island, strengthen the sense of place, build a water-circulation system, and improve the aesthetics of the landscape. In addition, the respondents stated that they would prefer a natural-type stream in front of a park, and would like various facilities that could improve the water-landscape function, as well as the stream’s ecological and water-friendly functions. The introduction of new waterways in the city center of Daegu will help to create a riverside and historical park, while maintaining a balance in regard to the conservation and development of historical and traditional cities, thereby transforming the city into a differentiated city.