China News Service, Beijing, March 16th: Title: Beijing’s Liangma River route sets sail, a river “vividly” brings a city to life
China News Service reporter Xu Jing and Du Yan
On the evening of the 16th, the 6-kilometer route of the Liangma River in Chaoyang District, Beijing, set sail again, connecting the "24 bridges" along the river.
"I come here once a week. In summer, the waterside will be covered with tall reeds, which are particularly beautiful." Wang Huiyuan, who grew up by the river and lives in Sanlitun, is familiar with the four seasons of Liangma River.
Once upon a time, there was lush pasture around the Liangma River and it was the location of the Royal Horse Garden.
Today, the sparkling Liangma River passes through multiple embassy districts, business districts and parks. It is a precious waterfront space in the city and forms an 800,000 square meter international-style waterfront of the Liangma River.
However, in Wang Huiyuan's memory, the river has been surrounded by fences for a long time, and it has only transformed into what it is now in recent years.
Liangma River, Beijing.
Photo by China News Service reporter Xu Jing
As she said, changes in the once overgrown Liangma River quietly "started" five years ago.
"The space is fragmented, the access is blocked, the functions are few, and the image is weak." Li Yanjun, landscape design director of AECOM and the general design leader of the Liangma River project, remembers the first time he saw Liangma River.
"But this river has huge development potential," he explained. In the East Third Ring Road, where land is at a premium, this river has a unique historical, cultural and ecological background.
The river gave birth to the original form of the city.
The Liangma River starts from the North Moat of Beijing in the west and merges into the Ba River in the east. The Chaoyang section is 9.3 kilometers long and is a tributary of the North Canal water system.
Due to the abundant water resources and abundant pasture along the river, the royal family of the Ming Dynasty set up a royal horse garden here.
According to legend, in ancient times, before entering the city, the carriage teams of merchants coming to Beijing would wash their horses in this small river and wait until the water stains on the horses were dried before entering the city.
This river, which was called "Liangma River" at that time, later became "Liangma River".
At one time, the Liangma River bed was heavily silted, overgrown with weeds, and the river channel narrowed, turning it into a smelly ditch.
From 1981 to 1985, the Beijing Municipal Government carried out dredging and management of the Liangma River in phases and sections, with the goal of "making the upper reaches an ornamental river and the lower reaches a drainage river".
After that, the comprehensive management of Liangma River did not stop.
The transformation from "river management" to "city management" started with the Liangma River management project in 2019. This time it is not only about river management, but also involves the overall improvement of the bank.
Li Yanjun said that at the beginning of the design, the integrated design of "one river and two banks" was determined, with the purpose of "seamlessly connecting" the buildings, green space and water surface, so as to maximize the public space value of the river.
Documents written by the Secretary of the Beijing Chaoyang District Party Committee summarized the six major projects: river regulation to achieve clear water and green banks; slow-traffic connectivity to achieve all connections along the riverside trails; bridge renovation to enable boating under the bridge; landscape lighting to create a beautiful night view The Liangma River has become an "internet celebrity check-in place"; the rivers and lakes are connected, connecting the Liangma River with the lakes in Chaoyang Park; the tourism navigation allows cruise ships to enter Chaoyang Park.
“In the process of shoreline remediation, in addition to creating a water-friendly waterfront, Chaoyang District is also committed to protecting biodiversity: while increasing water replenishment, the originally straight riverbank is designed to be curved or narrow, with a combination of wide and narrow, to improve The oxygen content of the river water improves the living environment of organisms; a variety of emergent plants are planted according to the characteristics of the river course, which not only purifies the water quality, but also provides diverse habitats for aquatic animals." Wang Chengzhi, deputy director of the Chaoyang District Water Affairs Bureau of Beijing say.
In the process of getting along with He, there were "small frictions".
Wang Huiyuan recalled that in order to ensure the safety of pedestrians, barriers were used at the river entrance for a period of time to isolate electric vehicles, but at the same time, strollers and wheelchairs were also "kept out".
Soon after, she was pleasantly surprised to find that the fence had been replaced with a "new barrier-free revolving door." Wheelchairs and strollers could pass through immediately by turning the railing after entering. "I felt the thoughtfulness and friendliness of the designer from this door."
"New barrier-free revolving doors" along the Liangma River.
Photo by China News Service reporter Xu Jing
"There are a lot of details." Wang Chengzhi said, touching the handrails on the Liangma River. Different from conventional horizontal and vertical handrails, the handrails along the river are inclined downward at 13 degrees and designed according to human body mechanics; relying on the shoreline Visitor seats are set up on the retaining wall. After repeated "trial sittings", they were finally reduced from 55 cm to 45 cm. This is the most comfortable height for people to sit with their knees bent...
Every summer, there are paddle boarding and kayaking competitions on the river, and you can clearly see the fish swimming among the water plants; there is an endless stream of citizens exercising and exercising on the shore, and flowers bloom in spring, summer, and autumn.
Wang Huiyuan said that Liangma River allowed her to see the city's endless vitality.
Liangma River has become an "internet celebrity check-in place", and more than 100 buildings on the riverbank have gradually formed a "riverside economic belt" from the past "development with their backs to the river", especially at night, lighting up the "night economy".
According to statistics, during the 2023 Beijing Chaoyang International Lighting Festival, the catering sales of Blue Harbor on the Liangma River increased by 80% compared with 2019.
On the evening of March 16, 2024, the 6-kilometer route of Liangma River set sail again, connecting the "24 Bridges".
Photo by China News Service reporter Xu Jing
Liangma River is not only a river, it is now a new international landmark of Chaoyang, a new business card of Beijing city, and a model of Beijing's urban renewal.
As the 6-kilometer route resumes sailing, Liangma River becomes more agile.
Wang Chengzhi said that the management model of Liangma River is being promoted: in Tonghui Canal (Gaobeidian Road-Fifth Ring Road section), the 1.3-kilometer route will meet the public this year; Beixiao River (Beijing-Chengdu Expressway to Fifth Ring Road section) The water space construction project is about to begin, bringing more diverse water-friendly experiences to the public and allowing people living here to feel the pulse of the city.
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