New waterfront section to open in Yangpu
A new downtown waterfront section along the Huangpu River will open to public by the end of September, featuring a multitude of preserved industrial heritages.
The 2.7-kilometer-long riverside area between Yangpu and Dinghai bridges in Yangpu District will offer jogging, cycling and walking paths, the district government said on Monday.
The waterfront of Yangpu is known as the birthplace of China's modern industries with the nation's first water, electricity, shipbuilding and textile companies. Many of the industrial relics have been preserved during the redevelopment for the riverside area.
A total of 66 former factory buildings in 24 places have been preserved and will open as new attractions for the waterfront.
Three coal-unloading machines on the former coal wharf, for instance, will be attractions along with preserved bridges of the century-old Yangshupu power plant.
The former industrial layouts have been largely retained and only unnecessary industrial ruins were removed.
To highlight the history of the Yangshupu power plant which was built in 1913 by a British businessman as the biggest thermal power plant in the East Asia, several coal scuttles have been converted into kiosks for visitors to the waterfront.
The coal-breakers and other machines are placed along the river as sculptures.
Apart from the industrial relics, about 68,000 square meters of greenery, including over 10 species of trees, have been planted.
Basketball and volleyball courts have been built along with a roller-skating rink renovated from the former Yangshupu gas plant.
For the new waterfront section, Shanghai's urban planning authority is inviting artists to design five artworks that will go on permanent display.
Five winning works will be selected and publicized on September 28 as key exhibits for the biennial Shanghai Urban Space Art Season 2019 between September and November.
According to the “striving for a world-class waterfront area” plan, continuous riverside zones will be created along the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek by 2020, featuring more greenery, preserved historical buildings and bridges.
Sidewalks stretching 45 kilometers on the banks of the Huangpu River between the Yangpu and Xupu bridges have already opened.
The city now plans to extend those upstream and downstream while improving the section that is already open.