A Brand-New Cultural Center
Before the Xikou Township Cultural Life Center was established, the public buildings most familiar to residents of Xikou Township, Chiayi County, were the township office and the elementary and junior-high schools they had attended. These structures served the practical needs of the community, yet, with no particular reason, it was hard to say that people could—or would—arrange to stroll or linger at the township office. Such civic buildings met administrative requirements; places for the soul were the cultural venues.
In this farming town rich in literary tradition, the Xikou Township Library has long been a vital source of culture, but its cramped quarters led to calls for rebuilding. Starting from the idea of transforming the library’s function and giving it diverse, hybrid cultural possibilities, the Xikou Township Cultural Life Center—next to Xikou Elementary—broke ground in 2005 and opened on December 28, 2007, becoming the township’s new pride and joy.
