Sakura Square

　　Sakura Square was redeveloped in line with the directives of Qin Rupéi, Secretary of the District Party Committee, and Ma Changqing, District Chief, as part of efforts to elevate the park’s cultural standards and create a themed, branded park. The project involved a comprehensive renovation of the entire park. In conjunction with the goals of building a nationally advanced tourism city, the Guiyang City Image Construction Project, and the hardware requirements for hosting the “Two Sessions,” this phase of the redevelopment was implemented according to the overall master plan of the park. Covering a total area of over 19,600 square meters, Sakura Square includes 18,000 square meters of lawn and greenery, and 1,600 square meters of pathways. The square was designed by the Provincial Forestry Research Institute, which also oversaw the landscaping work. All pathways are paved with specialized square tiles. The entire project commenced on January 8, 2001, and was completed on February 10, 2001, taking just 32 days. The square was expanded from the original central lawn, central garden, crape myrtle garden, rose garden, and plum blossom garden, and takes its name from the original cherry blossom garden. The renovation included the installation of 315 square meters of wrought iron decorative railings, the addition of flagpoles, and the commissioning of a calligraphy piece by Guizhou Province’s renowned calligrapher Dai Mingxian, which was inlaid on a pedestal. Additionally, the “Soaring White Clouds” Statue of Liberty sculpture was relocated, refurbished, and repainted.

　　The total investment in Sakura Square exceeded 1.5 million yuan. It features an advanced automated misting system, and the lawn is planted entirely with turf grass seed imported from the United States. Evergreen and deciduous shrubs such as red-leaf dwarf oleaster, golden privet, wine-leaf ficus, and red-leaf beech were used for three-dimensional artistic landscaping. Furthermore, the square was originally designed to include a high-end, permanent outdoor stage; however, due to time constraints, heavy workload, and large scope, it was not fully completed. The park management is committed to completing the stage and enhancing its sound, lighting, and electrical systems before the International Kite Festival. Once finished, the square will present a fully functional, spacious, and beautifully landscaped modern urban art space.