The planning map of new district construction reveals that the future Yichang resembles a flying butterfly. The new district is just like the wings and tail of the butterfly. It is an important platform for the construction of a modern megacity.
According to the plan, by 2017, Yichang’s planning urban area will reach 220 km? (including 105 km? for construction) and 2 million people will live here, approximately doubled that of present.
Public facilities are being built including the roads, water and electricity, lighting, landscaping, drainage, housing and other infrastructure and Olympic Sports Center, Exhibition Halls. Nearly a hundred major projects have been settled and the residents come to settle down one after another.
Speaking of new district construction, some of the "old citizens in Yichang " said, "What a big change!"
Inclusion of Industry and City Makes Larger Urban Area
Last week, Mr. Wang Xiaochun, who lives in Gezhouba in Xiling District, wanted to buy two boxes of fruits. Hearing that in the wholesale market of Three Gorges Logistics Park, two boxes of fruit are 70 RMB cheaper than that from the fruit stand in the neighborhood, he decided to buy them there.
After driving a dozen kilometers, he arrived at the destination. Entering the market, he was surprised by the scene and exclaimed, "I didn’t expect that the wholesale stores are so big!”
Put into operation in July last year, the Three Gorges Logistics Park covers an area of 190.1 acres, with a total construction area of 808,000 m?, including three functional areas of agricultural trade center, cold chain storage and delivery centers, logistics information trading center, providing life products exhibition and trade, warehousing, cold chain, delivery, e-commerce, budget hotels, office, accommodation, catering and entertainment as a whole.
Xie Yongxin, General Manager of the Logistics Park, said that more than 2,000 vehicles are in and out every day with the annual cargo throughput of more than 7 million tons throughout the country. He even said, "as long as you have the demand, you can be satisfied here.”
The Logistics Park, with a investment of 1.88 billion RMB, is located in the intersection of high-speed rail, the Yangtze River and the highway. There are two or three thousand daily commuters, promoting more than 30,000 job opportunities. In the past, people only know that Wujiagang District is a faraway place, but they did not expect that the wholesale market is even further than Wujiagang. Through visiting the Logistics Park of the Three Gorges, Wang Xiaochun not only bought fine fruit, but also truly witnessed the growth of Yichang.
Three Gorges Logistics Park ---A Typical Park of the New District
The construction of new district is growing vigorously in the north and south areas of the Yangtze River in Yichang. The project of two-way ten-lane expressway network under construction can pass 7000 vehicles per hour. Xiajiang Avenue, South Avenue, Miaozui Bridge expressway network is also being built.
According to statistics, 102 urban functional projects have started last year, including Wulong Road, the Olympic Sports Centre, resettlement housing, with an investment of 45.3 billion RMB; 92 projects have started with a total investment of 38.78 billion RMB.
Huge Investment to Dress up Garden City
Wang Xiao, who works in Wujiagang District, recently saw from the newspaper that the largest park in Yichang is being built in Moji Hill. The day before yesterday, he drove across the river to visit the Moji Hill.
At the foot of Moji Hill, vehicles and people shuttle and workers are flattening the grounds, planting flowers and repairing roads. Wang Xiao was surprised by big changes there.
Yesterday afternoon, when reporters came here, Wu Jie, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Parks and Woods, was arranging work.
Wu said that through trimming valleys, hills, they have built a park covering an area of 296.5 acres. Designed by the world-class American SWA Landscape Design Company with an investment of 300 million RMB, Moji Hill is conducting a three-dimensional packaging. Wildflower are planting on the hill, including red golden-rain trees, green hackberry, yellow ginkgo trees; at the foot of the hill will be sea of flowers, and across it is the Yangtze River. Visitors can see cherry blossoms in spring, green grass in summer, enjoy ginkgo in autumn and smell the orange fragrance in winter.
For the construction of New District, we put ecology and environment at first place and seek harmony between industry and ecology. The planning concept of construction is to combine industry and the city and strengthen Yichang landscape features as the garden city, letting citizens see green trees everywhere and enjoy life in the park.
To build a beautiful homeland, the investment for 18 large-scale ecological landscape projects has reached over 4 billion RMB. Walking through the New District, you can see high-rise buildings everywhere as well as pleasing ecological beauty. East Park, Rain Park, Zuobatou Park have taken shape, and Bolin River, Qiaobian River, Juanqiao River System are in full swing…
Residents in New district Work Near Their Houses
Chen Fengyuan，52 years old，has been living on farming all the time. When the reporter met her yesterday at Lianfengcun Community of Wujia Village in Wujiagang District, the reporter could not believe that she is a countrywoman over 50.
She was wearing long jeans and spandex pantsuit with stylish shorts. She looks as fashionable as people living in the city. A child behind her was holding a biscuit and chasing after her. Tan Yong, Deputy Director of the community, admires her and said:"You\'re enjoying a happy life! " " Enjoy life ? I\'m not used to it yet." Chen Fengyuan said happily.
More than one year ago, her family still lived in a village nearby. Since the new construction started and her house and land were expropriated by the government, her family and other 200 households moved into the East City Garden Community.
According the relocation compensation policy, Chen Fengyuan’s family got two apartments in the new community, one for self-occupation, another for rent. Her husband found a job at Angel Group nearby, and their son and daughter-in-law are working in downtown. By that the family’s income doubled.
The same as Chen Fengyuan, more than a year, a total of 3,132 families moved into the new district and lived a happy life.
According to reports, there are more than 220 construction projects with a total investment of about 200 billion RMB, of which 94,000 replacement houses with a total investment of 300 billion RMB resettle over 30 million villagers and residents. Many people can also find a job in the New District.
Three Gorges open towards the sunrise, and the wide water makes Yichang fantastic. Future Yichang will be more desirable!
Hubei Daily: Reporter Tang Yigui, Yan Yuntao, Wang Chenglong, Correspondent Yi Shixuan