“I used to play basketball at school, but this court is more convenient for me because it is near my home. And the breeze and trees make it pleasant for playing basketball here. ” Zhang Zhibo, a graduate of Yichang No.1 High school, said when he was playing basketball at the newly built ecological basketball court located at the south gate of Binjiang Park. Nine ecological courts were built by the municipal Bureau of Parks and Woods (BPW) this year. It was the result of “Listening to the people face to face and fulfill their expectations”, an activity conducted by the BPW.
At the beginning of this year, some citizens reported that the city image had been damaged by some self-built badminton courts with poor conditions and exposed loess. A survey launched by the BPW showed that the majority of the citizens supported the integrated planning of building more green space with leisure and sports facilities.
According to the requirements of the Municipal Party Committee, the municipal government and the feedback from the citizens, the BPW launched the constructions of eight standard ecological badminton courts and one basketball court. The newly built courts are in harmony with the landscape of Binjiang Park—not only the existing vegetation is reserved but also some arbors and colored foliage plants are added, making the landscape even richer and prettier.
It is seen on the spot that solar lightening system was installed at the basketball court for citizens to play at night. Besides, the alveolation floor was also adopted in all the courts, making the ground flat and the rainwater flow into the drain line easily.
According to Li Xianjun, deputy director of BPW, the sponge-city ecological concept was adopted in the construction of those courts. Suspended floor of PP material and ceramsite permeable bricks were both widely used to avoid water logging and improve the slip resistance of the fields so that citizens would feel more comfortable when playing. (Journalist Tian Dongming, Correspondents Li Hua and Wen Mingxin)