Temple park paving plan criticized

By Yin Yeping Source:Global Times Published: 2012-10-8 23:30:06

Construction workers pave the road on the green land on the northwest side of the Temple of Heaven Monday afternoon. Photo: Li Hao/GT
Construction workers pave the road on the green land on the northwest side of the Temple of Heaven Monday afternoon. Photo: Li Hao/GT

The Temple of Heaven said Monday that it still intends to pave over a 5,000-square-meter area of lawn inside the park, despite objections from Beijing environmentalists.

The project is intended to provide a larger area for people to do morning exercise, who comprise two- thirds of the total visitor numbers, Xing Qixin, media officer of the park told the Global Times Monday.

In late September, Beijing-based NGO Nature University appealed via an open letter for the Temple of Heaven to halt the project, saying that the grass and trees that would be lost could have an adverse affect on the surrounding environment.

Wang Xue, a member of Nature University, told the Global Times Monday that the construction project is based on the 5,000 square meters of green land on the northwest side of the park where there are fewer visitors.

The letters of appeal were sent to the park and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Landscape and Forestry in late September, but they are still waiting for a response from both the park and the bureau, said Wang.

Xing confirmed that they had received a message from the NGO, but he denied that the project might affect the local natural environment.

"As a park, the Temple of Heaven takes serving the tourists as its major role," he said.

"The reason for this project is to provide more activity space for people doing morning exercise," said Xing. 

There are many people doing morning exercise in the central area of the park, which can affect tourists visiting the temple complex, Xing noted.

"When this project is completed, some could move to the outer area of the park to exercise," he said, adding it would also help to protect the historical relics, and provide a public service to the nearby residents who like to use the park.

In terms of the green land, Xing said that in light of the total 2,730,000 square meters of land in the park, 5,000 square meters is not big enough to have much impact.

Yet Yang Chunlin, a well-known environmental activist in Beijing, opposes Xing's view. He believes that the function of the park is not just as a place to view historical remains or merely for public physical exercise.

"It plays an important role in purifying the air of the city, especially on the south side of the city," he said.

Fitness instructor, Yao Xinxin, who often goes to the park for morning exercise, said that he did not know about this project, but he agreed the current space for physical exercise is not large enough.

"We aren't allowed to do physical exercise for too long in the central part of the park since it might disturb the tourists. I'd consider going to the outer part of the park if it's necessary," he said.

Currently, there are around 1,630,000 square meters of green land in the park. According to statistics from Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks, in 2009 the amount of carbon dioxide that the park's green land consumed was equal to the emissions of 30 million people in one day. 

Wang said that the purpose to send the open letter is not just to draw attention to the Temple of Heaven plan, but also to bring attention to the importance of all the city's parks in terms of environmental protection.

"Physical exercise is one thing, but physical exercise is only effective when it is conducted in a place with good quality air," Wang remarked.



Posted in: Society, Metro Beijing

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