Water Cube to be converted into a large aquatic park

The National Aquatics Center, known as the "Water Cube," will start renovations after the National Day holiday. The renovations are due for completion in mid 2010. Upon completion, the Water Cube will become a cultural and sports center for the public, where large-scale international competitions can be held. It will also open for aquatic sports for fitness, culture-related recreation and travel visits as well as other various services. A large multipurpose indoor aquatic center will emerge.

The renovations to the Water Cube, which have been the center of attention, aim to provide more services for visitors. Apart from the competition hall, warm-up hall and water amusement park, a larger area will open to the public when renovations are finished. After 11,000 temporary seats and temporary stands have been dismantled, an increased area open to the public will include a newly-built north and south buildings, Olympic experience zone, sports brand showroom, dining zone, and fitness zone. In addition, an Olympic exhibition center and a video projection zone, functioning as showrooms, will be constructed adjacent to a permanent showroom which has been built with donated money.

After the Water Cube has been renovated, the area open to the public will increase to 77,000 square meters from 49,000 square meters, meaning that another 28,000 square meters will be available. The operation area will account for 76 percent of the gross area, compared to 54 percent before renovation.

Besides receiving visitors as usual, the Water Cube also offers concessions of free or half price tickets to donors, retired cadres, the elderly over 70, disabled soldiers, children under 1.2 meters, soldiers and students. The Water Cube launched a series of themed campaigns to reward and care for society, such as “free visit day” for people involved in Olympic projects, families of overseas Chinese that have returned home, couples having their silver or gold wedding anniversary, and students. Up until late June, the Water Cube had given out around 150,000 free tickets, and around 228,000 half price tickets.

Translated by LOTO