[Photo/eastday.com]

The Century Park in Shanghai's Pudong New Area, the city's biggest urban park, will be open 24/7 from May 1 after a trial run starting from April 18, according to the park's management.

The park has been under renovation, removing over 3,000 meters of enclosures and building seven gateways since last June. Facility upgrades such as light installations and intelligent security surveillance have also been made to ensure safety for night visits.

Similar renovations are also taking place in four other major parks in Pudong — Shanghai Binjiang Forest Park, Shanghai Wild Animal Park, Wishing Star Park, and Celebrity Garden, which are also slated to be open 24/7.

A total of 153 parks in Pudong New Area will be open 24/7, announced the district’s Ecology and Environment Bureau on April 15.

This decision aligns with Shanghai's vision of becoming a park city, seeking to shift from "parks within the city" to "the city within parks".

As of the end of 2023, Shanghai established 832 parks, with the aim to increase this number to at least 1,000 by 2035. In addition to maximizing green spaces to create parks, the city is committed to maximizing public access to these areas. Across the city, more parks and university campuses have begun dismantling their enclosures, offering residents unrestricted access to enjoy the public spaces 24 hours a day.

Sources: thepaper.cn, eastday.com