Many old houses in Bao Vinh, Huong Vinh ward are in disrepair and need financial support for restoration and renovation.

At the end of July 2024, the People's Committee of Hue City issued a decision on the investment policy for the project to restore and prevent degradation of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ngo's garden house, No. 3 Pham Thi Lien, Kim Long Ward, which is on the list of garden houses participating in the Project "Policy to support, protect and promote the value of typical garden houses in the province" (abbreviated as Garden House Project).

According to the representative of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ngo's family, the house was built in 1890 on an area of ​​1,969m2, classified as a type 1 garden house. After more than 130 years of use and no major investment in repairs, the house has now deteriorated and needs to be restored to preserve and protect the heritage associated with tourism exploitation. After receiving the city's decision to renovate the house, her family was very happy and said they would try to promote the value of Hue garden houses after completing the restoration work.

Based on the survey and assessment of the current situation and the repair needs of the garden house owner, the project will proceed to dismantle the entire tiled roof system and wooden frame system for restoration; the wall panel system, doors, triple-layer panels, and ceiling panels will have some door panels replaced, severely damaged components will be restored, and some good components will be repaired and processed for reuse... The project has a total investment of more than 1.1 billion VND from the support fund for protecting and promoting the value of typical Hue garden houses, non-reciprocal garden houses, and is expected to start restoration in early September 2024.

According to the leaders of Hue City People's Committee, the project aims to preserve and promote the typical values ​​of Hue garden house system. At the same time, it creates consensus and cooperation among people in implementing policies as a premise to spread and form a sense of voluntary participation on a large scale in protecting Hue garden house heritage associated with effective economic exploitation.

Along with the Garden House Project, based on the content of the Project "Policy to support, protect and promote the value of Bao Vinh ancient communal houses, Huong Vinh ward, Hue city" (abbreviated as the Ancient Communal House Project) approved by the Provincial People's Committee and to facilitate the organization and implementation of activities related to the Ancient Communal House Project, the city has completed and supplemented the functions and tasks of organizing and implementing the project for the Hue Garden House Management and Protection Board. At the same time, it is recommended that the provincial-level professional agencies advise the Provincial People's Committee to supplement the functions and tasks of organizing and implementing the Ancient Communal House Project for the Fund to support, protect and promote the value of Hue's typical garden houses.

At the end of July 2024, the Hue Garden House Management and Protection Board surveyed and assessed the deterioration of the ancient wooden house of Ms. Phan Thi Dieu Lien's household, No. 77B Bao Vinh. The house has an area of ​​139m2, built in 1914, classified as a type 1 ancient wooden house, currently degraded and in need of restoration. The ancient wooden house meets the criteria and is on the list of ancient wooden houses participating in the Ancient Wooden House Project approved by the Provincial People's Committee to propose support for restoration and renovation in 2024.

According to the leaders of Hue City People's Committee, these are 2 of many garden houses and traditional houses in the area that will receive financial support for renovation and anti-deterioration in the coming time. Along with the support for restoration, in order to form and develop typical garden house tourism spots in Thuy Bieu, Kim Long and Bao Vinh ancient town tourist spot to organize tourism services associated with preserving and promoting the value of typical garden houses and traditional houses in Bao Vinh in the direction of green and sustainable tourism, the city continues to implement other support policies such as vocational training, job conversion, vocational training...; build a specialized website to promote typical garden house tourism to promote the value of Hue garden houses and traditional houses in the city.

Article and photos: Ngoc Khanh