In 2011, Chongqing Iron and Steel completed its environmentally friendly relocation, making "transformation" a key word in Dadukou District's development. As a core area of the main city, Dadukou’s urban transformation will be as exciting and anticipated as the World Cup Climbing Competition. If we were to draw an analogy between the two, their spiritual essence is interconnected—successfully climbing can bring the feeling of "reaching the summit and overlooking all the other mountains." The same is especially true for urban transformation and development. Earlier this year, construction began on the most beautiful peninsula in the main city, Fishing Jaw, while plans for the redevelopment of the old Chongqing Iron and Steel site and the Xiaonanhai area were unveiled one after another. Dadukou boldly put forward the grand goal of "Creating Seven Cities Simultaneously" and has taken solid steps toward it.
National Civilized City, National Advanced Cultural City, National Health City, National Model Greening City, National Forest City, National Ecological Garden City, and National Environmental Protection Model City—all are "national-level" honors. We have every reason to believe that the success of "Creating Seven Cities Simultaneously" will make Dadukou, just like the upcoming climbing competition, "world-class."
Three Advantages Pave the Way for a New Dadukou
In May 2011, the municipal government set the development direction for Dadukou District as "a city of living quality and a district of emerging industries."
"The next 5 to 10 years will be a period when the scale, layout, and form of Chongqing's main city are basically finalized, and also a crucial period that will determine Dadukou’s urban status and value," said Sheng Yanong, the district party secretary. "With the advent of the Second Ring Road era, Dadukou has three advantages: 'resources + potential energy,' 'location + function,' and 'latecomer + leapfrogging.' Compared to other districts, Dadukou’s 'latecomer' advantage is evident. Its greatest strength lies in the ability to 'build and develop from a high starting point on a blank canvas,' forging a path of connotative development with its own unique characteristics."
In the next 10 years, as Chongqing enters the Outer Ring Road era, these 10 years can be called the period of the core area of a modern international metropolis' main city. Dadukou District’s "core location," "core value," and "core function" will become even more prominent, propelling Dadukou into a new era of accelerated, fundamental, and comprehensive transformation.
According to reports, Dadukou District will play its three key cards—the old Chongqing Iron and Steel site, Fishing Jaw, and Xiaonanhai—inviting top-tier international design firms to take part in the planning: the former Chongqing Iron and Steel area will be designed around the theme of "City of Creativity, Colorful Riverside," aiming to become a complex of business, commerce, and high-end residences; the Fishing Jaw area will be planned around the theme of "Wealth and Wisdom Paradise, Leisure Capital," aiming to develop into a high-quality residential area, villa zone, and forum economy complex; the Xiaonanhai area, in conjunction with the Xiaonanhai Water Control Project and the construction of Bridge Park Zone C, aims to become a tourism and leisure zone and a modern emerging industry complex.
The future Dadukou will become a core area of the main city that combines a highland of leapfrog development, a treasure land of wealth aggregation, and a blessed land of ecological livability.
Smooth Traffic in Dadukou Boosts Urban Transformation
During the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty, there was a free ferry on the north bank of the Yangtze River, which was the largest of its kind along dozens of miles of riverbank, and from which Dadukou got its name. Now, Dadukou is the "most accessible district in the main city."
This time, those coming to participate in the World Cup Climbing Competition can personally experience the "accessible Dadukou."
Currently, there are nine routes for entering and exiting Dadukou, which will soon increase to twelve. No matter which district you’re coming from, access to Dadukou is very convenient. It is understood that after the formation of the "five vertical and five horizontal" network, the number of external passages in Dadukou District has now increased to nine: to the north are Xicheng Avenue, Yuanqia Road, Ganghua Branch Road, the Inner Ring Expressway, and Light Rail Line 2; to the east is the Inner Ring Expressway; to the west are Huafu Road and Tiaotao Road; and to the south is the Yudong Yangtze River Bridge, which opened in 2011.
Now, Dadukou’s riverside road is gradually taking shape. According to the district’s urban construction office, the first phase of the riverside road, approximately 6.91 kilometers long—from the Yudong Bridge west connection line to Jianqiao Avenue—has already been more than halfway completed and is expected to be open to traffic by March 2013. In addition, the planned Baijusi Yangtze River Bridge is expected to start construction next year, forming a new cross-river passage connecting southern cities. The Xiaonanhai Bridge will eliminate the western access barriers for Dadukou.
In terms of land transport, looking at public passenger transport that concerns most residents, there are currently 23 bus routes and over 400 buses in the district. The largest bus hub station in the main city, the Xicheng Avenue Bus Hub Station, is under construction and is expected to be completed and operational this year.
"Air transport" refers to Light Rail Line 2. Since its opening, Light Rail Line 2 has completely changed Dadukou’s formerly remote regional disadvantage and shortened the psychological distance between Dadukou and other districts of the main city. Currently, the extension of Light Rail Line 2 is under construction and is expected to reach Yudong in Banan by 2013, connecting with Line 3 and reaching Longtousi Bus Station, the train station, and the airport.
"Seven Cities Simultaneously" for a Livable Mountain-Water City
The number of days with good air quality in Dadukou District has increased from 239 days in 2006 to the current 322 days, the highest increase in the main city.
It is understood that Dadukou District’s urban construction will strictly follow urban planning, optimize the overall urban image design, carry out high-quality planning and design, highlight the themes of "mountains" and "water," emphasize the urban images of a "mountain city" and a "river city," build a number of landmark buildings, and develop the 34-kilometer riverfront into a classic of Chongqing’s urban construction.
To improve and beautify the living environment for residents, Dadukou District has ingeniously created gardens, aiming for the goal of "a bit of green for every inch of residential land, half the city as landscape and half as garden." It is implementing a green space plan, accelerating the construction of "two belts, seven corridors, and forty-two parks," striving to turn Dadukou into a forest city and a park city. It has successfully been named a municipal forest city, environmental protection model district, civilized city, and health city, and has won the China Urban Management Progress Award and the China Habitat Environment Example Award.
In the first half of this year, Dadukou boldly put forward the goal of "Creating Seven Cities Simultaneously," a creation target covering politics, economy, society, and culture—an uncommon feat even nationwide. Dadukou’s "self-imposed pressure" aims for a magnificent transformation. The "Seven Cities Simultaneously" initiative includes nearly 3,000 concrete creation indicators, which will accelerate Dadukou’s progress in building a "city of living quality and a district of emerging industries."
Creating a National Civilized City: A more civilized city, a more beautiful environment, and happier citizens.
Creating a National Advanced Cultural City: Shaping people through culture, prospering industries through culture, and establishing the city through culture.
Creating a National Health City: Improving the environment, safeguarding health, and promoting development.
Creating a National Model Greening City: Making spaces larger, intersections greener, and landscapes more beautiful.
Creating a National Forest City: Letting forests enter the city and letting the city embrace the forests.
Creating a National Ecological Garden City: With greenery as the body, landscapes as the soul, embracing both mountains and water, and reflecting the harmony of city and lake.
Creating a National Environmental Protection Model City: A bluer sky, cleaner water, and greener land. Text by Chen Jun, reporter for Chongqing Morning Post; Intern Pu Jiang.
The 2012 IFSC Climbing World Cup, hosted by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and the Chongqing Municipal Government, and organized by the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Chongqing Municipal Sports Bureau, and the People's Government of Dadukou District, Chongqing, will grandly kick off tomorrow. This marks the first time a top-tier international climbing competition has come to Chongqing, and it also serves as a remarkable "debut" for Dadukou in its full-scale effort to enhance its city image as a "city of living quality and a district of emerging industries."
The climbing competition venue in Dadukou District is ready, and the event will begin on the 13th. Photo by Hu Jie, reporter of Chongqing Morning Post
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Sport Climbing Selected as a Candidate for the 2020 Olympics
Sport climbing is a competitive sport derived from mountaineering. Originating in the Soviet Union in the 1950s, it initially existed as a military training exercise. It was included in world competitions in 1974. By the 1980s, modern competitive climbing focusing on difficulty gained popularity and sparked widespread interest, with the first difficulty climbing competition held in Italy in 1985.
The "Asian Climbing Federation" was established in Hong Kong on January 2, 1991. The first Asian Championships were held in Changchun, China, in December 1993. On July 4, 2011, at the International Olympic Committee meeting in Durban, South Africa, sport climbing was officially confirmed as one of the eight candidate sports for the 2020 Olympics.
Sport climbing is also a type of mountaineering, where climbers ascend rock faces or artificial climbing walls. No tools are used — only hands, feet, and body balance to move upward. Hands and arms must apply various techniques such as gripping, holding, hooking, pinching, pressing, pushing, and supporting according to different holds, so the sport demands both high physical strength and flexibility.
As an independent and widely loved sport among youth, climbing has rapidly spread around the globe. Climbers, steady as geckos and agile as eagles on the rock face, have made the sport highly aesthetic and visually captivating, earning it the nickname "rock ballet."
The emergence of artificial climbing walls has transformed climbing into both a sport and a form of entertainment. Abroad, various climbing clubs are commonplace, hosting numerous competitions and recreational activities annually in different formats — large or small, indoor or outdoor, for adults or youth, men or women. Additionally, this type of training is conducted in some sports centers, police and military training bases, and special forces units.
The brand new and beautiful Dadukou Pedestrian Street. (File photo)
Competition Events>
Staff testing the competition facilities.
Difficulty Climbing
A climbing competition where athletes’ performances are judged based on the difficulty of the climbing route. Results are determined by the height reached on the wall within a set time. During the competition, climbers are protected by ropes anchored below as they ascend with the rope, attaching themselves to intermediate protection points in sequence as required by the rules. The climbing wall is typically 15 meters high, and the routes are set by route-setters according to the skill level of participants — overhangs are usually more difficult.
Speed Climbing
Much like the rhythm and leap of a 100-meter dash in track and field, athletes compete on a designated route, with results determined by time.
Bouldering
Featuring short routes with high difficulty, bouldering requires strong explosive power and flexibility. The course includes finish holds and scoring holds — grabbing a scoring hold and performing a valid move scores points, while holding a finish hold with both hands for three seconds scores as well. There are generally 4 to 6 routes per round, each with a 5-minute time limit. Rankings are primarily based on the number of finish holds, then the number of scoring holds, and finally the total number of attempts.
The Chongqing Dadukou World Cup features two main events — speed climbing and bouldering — across four sub-events.
Media Focus>
Over the five years since the relocation of Chongqing Iron and Steel Group began, Dadukou District has continuously overcome development bottlenecks in transportation, land use, and industrial restructuring. Initial success has been seen in urban transformation, painting a vibrant blueprint for the renewal of an old industrial base.
Xinhua News Agency
Plant the phoenix tree, and the phoenix will come. A good environment attracts good projects. A great environment builds a beautiful city, because efforts in creating livable spaces enhance a city’s external appeal and drive sustained economic development in Dadukou. The former steel city has successfully transformed into a livable one!
Phoenix Online
Under the guidance of a new development strategy, Dadukou District will no longer be just an industrial production hub but a multifunctional urban center. Its core competitiveness will shift from being an "industrial powerhouse" to a "service powerhouse," achieving transformation from an old industrial base to a new industry zone, from an industrial-trade area to an eco-livable city, and from a peripheral suburb to a core area of a national central city.
21st Century Business Herald