More Suzhou Creek waterfront to open soon
The newly opened waterfront region along Suzhou Creek between Hami and Shuangliu roads in Changning District
Over 35 kilometers of waterfront along Suzhou Creek, 85 percent of its downtown section, will open to the public by the end of the year.
The 125-kilometer creek, which flows from Qingpu District to Waibaidu Bridge, is the Huangpu River’s biggest tributary.
According to a city government plan, 42 kilometers of the creek downtown, between the bridge and the city's Outer Ring Road, will feature continuous sightseeing pathways that will be open to the public by 2020.
The riverside area will become a typical and iconic demonstration of Shanghai's comfortable lifestyle, the city's housing and urban-rural development commission said.
Four categories of facilities will occupy the public space along the creek — shopping and recreation, community and life, historical preservation and greenery. Various activities will be held along the creek to meet the leisure and entertainment demands of city residents, the commission said.
On completion, the riverside region will feature sports facilities, art and music performances, restored historical buildings and industrial heritage, exhibitions and parks.
Tourists and visitors can learn about the history of Shanghai by walking along the creek, according to the commission.
Many old structures with historic values or which record the city's urban development will be restored. They include former factory buildings, campuses, docks, houses and warehouses.
When other old buildings are demolished, some materials and fittings will be retained to feature in pavements, sculptures and other items.
Some cultural heritage, such as traditional skills, will be showcased along the creek to preserve both tangible and intangible heritages, the commission said.
About 5.4 kilometers of waterfront region will open to the public by the end of the year by removing 12 spots interrupted by infrastructure, companies or neighborhoods.
The newly opened waterfront region along Suzhou Creek between Hami and Shuangliu roads in Changning District.
Some have already opened. A riverside section between Hami and Shuangliu roads in Changning District, for instance, has recently opened after the completion of a nearby construction for the Beiheng Passage, a 19-kilometer east-west road linking Changning, Putuo, Jing’an, Huangpu, Hongkou and Yangpu districts.
New parks and greenbelts have also opened to guide visitors from the waterfront inland, the Changning government said on Monday.
People can now walk along the creek from Jiangsu Road N. Bridge to Jianhe Road on a continuous pathway, according to the district.
The 1.6km stretch between Xikang and Wuning roads in Putuo, which was interrupted by companies or neighborhoods, has been connected and opened to the public.
The waterfront, known as Baocheng Bay, was home to a fifth of China’s earliest textile factories, dating back to the 1920s.
After 1949, the Shanghai No. 1, 6 and 7 cotton factories were based in this area, along with a military warehouse for quilts and uniforms. The site was dubbed the “cradle of China’s textile industry.”
According to the development plan “Striving for a World-Class Waterfront Area,” continuous riverside zones will be created along the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek by 2020.
They will boast more greenery, preserved historical buildings, bridges, and “sponge city” technology.
The Shanghai government has invested over 25 billion yuan (US$3.6 billion) in the fourth stage of the rehabilitation project for the creek. The project is aimed at improving water quality and preventing floods. It will also make the waterfronts more eco-friendly and user-friendly.
Sidewalks stretching 45 kilometers along the banks of the Huangpu River between the Yangpu and Xupu bridges are already open.
The city plans to extend both upstream and downstream, while improving services and scenery on the existing section.
They newly opened waterfront region along Suzhou Creek between Hami and Shuangliu roads in Changning District.
