A green belt to be built on popular fish market site
Construction has started on a major green-belt site in downtown Shanghai on land formerly occupied by a seafood market as well as a village that contained numerous illegal buildings.
Zhenru Greenbelt will cover 215,000 square meters, equivalent to about 30 football pitches, in the historic Zhenru Town in Putuo District. It will be completed by 2019, the district government said on Thursday.
The 6-kilometer long belt to run across the town will include the existing Zhenru Park as well as land used for the city’s once largest seafood market, Tongchuan Road Aquatic Product Market.
The market was closed late last year to make way for Metro Line 14 and to improve the urban landscape.
The first phase of the belt will run from Daduhe Road to Lanxi Road covering about 70,000 square meters, while the second phase will extend to Caoyang Road and go through the former seafood market.
As a highlight, an artificial river will be dug to connect with Qiujiang River and Zhenrugang River to create a riverside region. Public green space will also be built on the now demolished Hongqi Village.
Zhenru was originally formed around 1208 and 1224 during the Song Dynasty. A monk named Yong’an erected Zhenru Temple and built a "xianghua" (or scented flower) bridge, which brought worshippers to the area.
Markets were later developed around the temple, which still exists, along with Zhenru pagoda. Both will be involved into the future green belt, according to designs released by the government.