Shanghai 2010 World Expo site to become massive urban park

The site of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai is to be turned into the city's biggest urban park according to the local authorities, reported by Xinhua News Agency. 

Photo of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. [File Photo: kaiwind.com]

Stretching for two square kilometers along the east bank of the Huangpu River, the former World's Fair site is to be turned into a World Expo Culture Park, which will be a green area, free to local residents, comparable to Central Park in New York. 

Photo of the Central Park in New York, United States. [File Photo: baidu.com]

The Shanghai government places great importance on the follow-up development of the city's World Expo area, and the project is being seen as a renewed commitment to the "Better City – Better Life" theme of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, Lu Yuexing, director of the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Afforestation & City Appearance, is quoted as saying.

The forthcoming transformation also marks a further step for the city's ambitious plans towards globalization, future development and the dream of becoming an international metropolis.

Shanghai held the Expo 2010, officially the Expo 2010 Shanghai China, from May 1 to October 31 2010, on both banks of the city's Huangpu River. 

The planning map of the World Expo Culture Park in Shanghai. [Photo: Shanghai Daily]

With the reputation for attracting the largest number of participating countries and regions, and as the most expensive Expo in the history of the world's fairs, the Shanghai World Expo also holds the record for being the largest World's Fair site covering an area of 5.28 square kilometers. 

The Shanghai authorities are seeking ideas from the public for the design of the park.