Ara Canal

During the Goryeo period, Choe I, the son of Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn, attempted to construct a canal close to the present-day canal site, but the project was not technologically feasible. Injong, a king in the Joseon dynasty, also unsuccessfully attempted to construct the canal. The modern "Gulpocheon River Waterproof Road" project began in 1992 and sought to address issues with irregular flows and flooding, such as a flood in the summer of 1987 which affected approximately 6,000 residents of the Incheon area. To address the issue, a project to floodproof the river was undertaken, starting with a five-year survey. In 1995, several scenarios for the Gulpocheon Waterproof Road project were proposed. One proposal was to dig the waterway to discharge water into the Yellow Sea. Another proposal was that the municipality of Gimpo would maintain a reservoir. Though the latter idea was more economical, the former was selected to boost Korea's economy. == Project summary ==

Planning and development of the Ara Canal was controversial due to distorted cost-benefit estimations. A year after the canal opened, the volume of goods transported via the canal was just over 5% of this estimated demand. == Usage ==

Eight Views of Suhyang There are Eight Views of Suhyang from the Ara Canal. These include "The Yellow Sea", "Ara Incheon Passenger Terminal", "Sicheon Riverside", "Ara Waterfall", "Suhyangwon", "Duri Eco Park", "Ara Gimpo Passenger Terminal", and "Ara Hangang Waterside". Recreation Next to the Ara Canal is a 41.3 km bicycle path. There are five bicycle rental shops along the Ara Canal, including in the Ara Incheon passenger terminal, by the southern Sicheon bridge, the northern Gyeyang bridge, the southern Gyeyang bridge, and within the Ara Gimpo passenger terminal. There are three marine facilities in the Ara Marina region. The yacht mooring facility accommodates 199 ships (water: 136, dry-dock: 58). The marina support facility contains a ship gas station, ship repair shop, crane, inclined plane, washing room, and sewage disposal. The Ara Marine Center also contains a convention center, wedding hall, and restaurant. The Gimpo Mayor Yacht contest is held annually in late May. Cultural life The Gyeongin Ara Culture Festival is a nine-day festival first held in October 2013. The festival's program has changed every year, with programs divided by region. A shopping mall opened in the area in February 2015. It is the largest shopping mall in the Ara Canal region. == Notes ==