<
https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1010996/the-key-to-reviving-urban-rivers-recreation%2C-not-regulation>
"Unlike Shanghai, London, or Paris, Beijing isn’t built on the banks of a
world-famous body of water. The closest the city has to a Seine or Thames is
probably the Liangma, a short, long-neglected river that flows from downtown
Dongzhimen out into the suburbs. For years, the city paid little attention to
its rivers, and I used to wonder how anyone could see them as a place to spend
time, much less swim in their green-tinged waters.
My impression changed one fall evening in 2021 when I was taking a stroll near
my office. As I passed its banks, I felt as if I’d been transported: Birds were
swimming on the water, people were lounging along the riverbanks, and vendors —
strictly policed in much of the capital — had put out stools for customers,
seemingly unworried about incurring the wrath of the chengguan, or city
management officers.
This transformation didn’t take place overnight. Government campaigns to clean
up the river date back at least to 2016, and that particular section had been
walled off for improvements for much of last year. Although the stated focus
was improving the river’s water quality, the Beijing Water Authority has also
teamed with nongovernment organizations to plan and build 5.5 kilometers of
riverside paths, joining previously disjointed walkways to create a riverside
environment better suited for recreation.
Still, I was struck by scale of the change. How did the Liangma become a
hotspot for recreation and consumption so quickly? In order to answer this
question, it’s necessary to first consider a different one: Why was it so
forlorn in the first place? After all, the Liangma flows through some of
Beijing’s more bustling areas, including the embassy district, business zones,
residential areas, and Chaoyang Park. Yet it had never really won the favor of
the public."
Via
The Fixer August 31, 2022:
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/los-angeles-bike-commuters-groups/
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
