Waterfront park to open in Xinwu district

A walking path is built by the Bodu River. [Photo/wxrb.com]

Bodu River, the first artificial canal in Chinese history, will be developed into a tourist attraction in the near future.

With a total length of 24.1 kilometers, Bodu River has a history of 3,200 years during which its fate and the history of Wu culture are closely intertwined.

In order to improve its water quality, the Xinwu district government started renovating the river and its surrounding areas in August of last year to create a more tourist-friendly waterfront. The project received 250 million yuan ($35.7 million) in investment and has a planned area of 89.55 hectares.

The first stage of the project will consist of adding 175,000 square meters of green land area and a total length of around 7 kilometers of hydrophilic walkway, which will open to the public in late September.

The waterfront park along the Bodu River will become an ideal place for leisure. [Photo/wxrb.com]

The first stage also includes three footbridges, five shelters, and some tourist spots, making it a great place to hang out and relax.

One flower-filled footbridge is expected to attract many tourists, as the designer has said that many drainpipes were built inside it to ensure that plants can grow on it.

The local government believes that the integrated management of ecosystems and culture will meet the demands of both nature and people and contribute to local development.