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The eighth "Binhu Lake Tourism Festival" in the city of Hefei, Anhui province, kicked off in Heifei Binhu National Forest Park on April 13.
Hefei Party Secretary Wu Chunrong, together with vice-director of Anhui Publicity Department Ren Hemao, attended the opening ceremony. Hefei mayor Zhang Qingjun announced the opening of Hefei's eighth "Binhu Lake Tourism Festival", while vice-mayor Wu Chunmei chaired the opening ceremony.
Other officials present included Hefei city leaders Xiong Jianhui, Dong ZhaoLi, Yang Sisong, Lin Cun'an, People's Daily Anhui bureau chief Liu Jie, Xinhua News Agency Anhui bureau chief Wang Zhengzhong, and deputy director of Anhui Tourism Bureau, Chen Lei.
Binhu Wetland Forest Park officially became a national forest park on Dec 30, 2013. Binhu Wetland Forest Park sits in an area that had been reduced to a poor ecological environment during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). But in 2002, work began to transform the grain plots back to forests in Baohu district.
In August 2012, construction on the forest park started; and it opened in October that year. At the second national forest park panel assessment of 2013, Binhu Wetland Forest Park received unanimous approval from the 21 experts, a first for a manmade forest park. To date, the park has received 2.9 million people.
A total of 250 million yuan (about $41.2 million) has already been invested, with 1 billion yuan ($1.64 billion) more in expected investment due in the next 5 years. A series of construction and transformation projects have been planned to turn the park into a more influential demonstration platform for ecological education.
By May Day of 2014, visitors can expect to see a drive-in theater and a forest mini train in the park. More bus lines and parking spaces are being introduced, and a new Lijiang-style street will be built.
A community cycling tour was also included in the opening ceremony. Themed "volunteer, ecology, health", the tour aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle and encourage more attention to charity. Cycling enthusiasts departed from Hefei Binhu Lake National Forest Park and cycled through Lake Road before they arrived at the Campaign of Crossing Changjiang River Memorial.
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