Riverside greenbelt
The blueprint
The second phase of construction on a riverside greenbelt will begin by the end of this year, according to the district’s greening authority.
The greenbelt along the Dongjiaojing River will be nearly the size of 13 standard football fields when completed. It is designed under the environmental concept of a “sponge city.”
Under the plan, the ground is paved with special materials that allow rainwater to seep through and flow into an underground system for purification and storage. Above ground will be a small area imitating the environment of a wetland. It can be adjusted to weather conditions to retain eco-balance.
The greenbelt will be planted with ginkgo, camphor and cherry trees and other shrubbery, providing color with changing seasons. Benches, walkways, riverside platforms, an island in the middle of the river and a children’s playground also figure in the planning.
Meanwhile, the renovation of Zhabei Park is now underway. The park, in classically elegant Chinese style, features picturesque pavilions, riverside corridors and also structures of historical significance, such as the tomb of Song Jiaoren, a Chinese revolutionary and founder of the Kuomintang. Parts of the park will remain open during the renovation.
