Chigang Tower (file photo)

The Bureau of Urban Utilities and Landscaping of the Guangzhou Municipality announced that local authorities will invest RMB 100 million to build Chigang Park, which will be centered on the Chigang Tower. The complex will be a municipal level cultural relic protection unit. The Chigang Tower Park is to become a memorial park with the stated purpose of protecting and re-using the cultural buildings, displaying the long history of Guangzhou's foreign trade culture and of displaying the Lingnan Culture.

The Chigang Tower Park is located next to the Central Axis of the Guangzhou New City, facing the Pearl River to the north, reaching Xinnan Road in the south, extending to Guangzhou Road in the west and taking South China Expressway as its boundary in the east. With a total planned area of 28,253 square meters, the Park is on the riverside historical culture axis of the Pearl River Route. The Chigang Tower, built in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), is one of the "Three Pearl River Towers".

The Park will adopt a structural philosophy of "One Line with Two Sides" in terms of its overall greenbelt layout. The "One Line" refers to the South-North Axis. The "Two Sides" are defined by the Ancient Tower Protection Area and Leisure Activities Area. The important points on the park Axis include Chigang Tower, Inkstoen Pond, Waterfall Landscape, and the Hydrophile Platform. The main scenic spots of the Park are designed with the application of classical garden construction techniques.

The principal spokesperson of the Bureau of Urban Utilities and Landscaping of Guangzhou Municipality said that the Bureau will perfect its greenbelt service network, promote the city environment from "greening" to "beautifying" and even to 'art' ". The construction projects in this respect under Guangzhou's greening planning also include the planned expansion of Liwan Lake Park, Gangwan Square, Pazhou Tower Park, Yanling Park and the 10,000-mu Orchard Ecological Park.

Scenic spots include the Ancient Seashore Site, Waterfall Descent Curved Bridge, the Park and the Teahouse Area, the Winding Water Pavilion, Pond Land Boat, and Leisure Area at the West Entrance.