City scar turned into ecological park

An aerial photo of the Hongfeng Ecological Sports Park in Qingzhen. [Photo/Guiyang news network]

The Hongfeng Ecological Sports Park in Qingzhen, Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province, has been frequented by both locals and travellers from outside Guiyang.

But just a decade ago, the park was the site of serious heavy metal pollution. "Without any replicable experience on land restoration at hand, we decided to put soil on the polluted land and plant vegetation," said an official from the Qingzhen branch of the Guiyang bureau of ecology and environment.

A park was then built on the polluted land, making it the first of its kind in China. It features courts for football, basketball, and badminton, food bars and supermarkets.

The park now is home to 8,000 plants of more than 80 species, with the greening rate reaching 70 percent. On holidays and weekends, 3,000 to 5,000 people visit daily. Last year, the park generated over 1.8 million yuan ($250,200) in revenue.