Beneath an elevated bridge in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, a once-forgotten patch of land—strewn with rubble and choked with weeds—has recently been revitalized.
In just five months, by May 2025, the idle space was transformed into a community park where children play, residents unwind, and local vendors earn a living.
The transformation began with residents' appeals and was propelled forward through concerted efforts made by people's congress deputies at the town, district, city, and provincial levels.
The process offers a glimpse of grassroots governance at work. Deputies collected public feedback through local liaison stations, coordinated across departments to secure land-use approvals, and oversaw the project during construction.
The impact has extended beyond improving the living environment. Since opening, the park has attracted thousands of visitors every weekend, energizing nearby markets and creating new income opportunities.
Some villagers now sell agricultural products to passing visitors, with revenues from surrounding food businesses rising by about 30 percent year on year. Altogether, the park is estimated to have generated roughly 750,000 yuan in additional income for local residents.
This transformation is not an isolated case. By the end of 2024, nearly 90 percent of similar underpass spaces in Guangzhou had been repurposed for public use, reflecting a broader push for urban renewal under China's 14th Five-Year Plan.
Reporter | Liu Xiaodi, Huang Yuhan (intern)
Video Editor | Pan Jiajun
Video Script | Liu Xiaodi, Huang Yuhan (intern)
Cameraman | Pan Jiajun, Guo Hongda
Editor | Yuan Zixiang, Ou Xiaoming, James Campion, Shen He
