OVER the years, Shenzhen has made efforts to reach the goal of building parks throughout the city. As of now, the city has built a total of 1,206 parks across its territory, according to Shenzhen Special Zone Daily. Forty years ago, Shenzhen had only two parks and its rate of green coverage was only 10 percent. After a series of meticulous measures implemented, the city’s green coverage rate now stands at 43.4 percent. The average per-capita park area is 14.95 square meters. Citizens need only to walk as far as 500 meters to reach a community park, 2 kilometers to a city park, and 5 kilometers to a nature park. In 1983 when the special economic zone was just established, the Shenzhen Municipal Government had already taken a look at Singapore, a developed city state, and put forward the idea to similarly build Shenzhen into a flower city with lush trees and a beautiful environment. In 2004, the city drafted a plan on the local ecological system, in which a three-level park system, from forest park, suburban and comprehensive park, to community park, was suggested. In 2013, the idea to strengthen “greening work” was once again highlighted for the implementation of the 10 measures on greenery construction issued by the provincial authority. Besides the construction of parks, Shenzhen also issued measures to turn urban villages, places for many new-comers to settle in, into clean, orderly and harmonious living places. A three-year plan on urban village management concluded this year, upgrading 1,547 urban villages into places with better living environment. As of now, the number of charging stations recently added in urban villages is 12,000. A total of 19,000 new fire hydrants and 778 fire stations were also recently built throughout many urban villages. More than 1,500 wet markets located in urban villages have also been renovated. Green areas totaling 702,000 square meters were added, according to the report. In order to achieve meticulous management, Shenzhen’s urban management smart center was inaugurated July 1. Nineteen systems have been put online to continue meticulous supervision of each industry, said the report. In terms of garbage disposal, Shenzhen has become the first among the country’s “first-tier” cities to achieve full implementation of “garbage classification.” A three-year plan for toilet revolution has also given public toilets a new look. (Wang Jingli) | 