OPINION> Commentary
Olympic Park should be free
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-01-13 07:35

It's not a good idea for Beijing Olympic Forest Park to charge visitors, says an article on the website of www.qianlong.com. The following is an excerpt:

Li Shijie, a member of the Beijing municipal committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), suggests Beijing Olympic Forest Park charge proper fees from visitors. As he said, the fees will make the park work better for residents and tourists, helping it achieve sustainable development.

It sounds to be nice advice since it will obviously help the park make some money and reduce operating pressure on the government, but in fact his suggestion follows an outdated logic.

First of all, there is a trend for more and more parks being opened free to the public in China. The free opening of Beijing Olympic Forest Park can not only reflect the public functions of a park, but also spread the sporting spirit. It's a platform for the government to promote the ideal of a harmonious society.

Second, good maintenance of a park does not necessarily depend on the entry charges. We can use multiple channels to realize sustainable development of a park. The fee is just one of the solutions. For example, other solutions may include volunteers, donations and values created from the park itself.

(China Daily 01/13/2009 page8)