Written by Wu Jia, Dai Qian

Photographed by Jiang Ying

There are many big chunks of clouds flying across the sky, the sounds of ships siren coming and going can be listened during all day......

In Shanghai, this land on both side of Huangpu River, several bulldozers have been busy working in emptying out and leveling off gravel. Here used to be the birthplace of Shanghai modern industry and residential area of 18,000 residents for generations. But from today on and by the full construction of nearly four years, here will become the park for Shanghai Expo 2010 of China, and a waterfront land where a number of sightseeing attractions will be generated.

Relocation of residents for the Expo:"Empty"the space for the Shanghai Expo

In December 3rd, 2002, China Shanghai succeeded in its bid to host Expo 2010. At that time, municipal leaders of Shanghai decided that the Shanghai Expo will be located in the water front area on both banks of Huangpu River and between Lupu Bridge and Nanpu Bridge. Huangpu River, the mother river of Shanghai, has fostered Shanghai's unusual culture. Only five kilometers away from the downtown area, the Expo Park's geographic location can absorb the historic resources, scene style and features in old Shanghai towns, as well as obtaining the social economy and human resources of the bund and Lujiazui financial business and trade district, which is beneficial to achieve a sustainable and efficient use of the Expo facilities. Certainly, the most important is that holding of the Expo will accelerate the adjustment of the urban functionality and industrial restructuring, and push forward a new round of old town reconstruction.

The big area programming of the Expo Park will involve three districts of Pudong, Luwan and Huangpu, and cover six streets, eighteen neighborhood committees and 18,000 households as well as many enterprises and institutions. That means the relocation of residents for the Expo will be the largest, the most difficult, demanding and pressing event for a single project in the history of Shanghai. For the general goal to build the Shanghai Expo"Successful, Excellent, and Unforgettable", relocation of residents and land restructuring in the Expo Park area during its early stage of development becomes a priority and extremely difficult task for construction of the Expo.

The relocation project for Shanghai Expo had begun in the March of 2005, and is predicted to be basically completed by the end of next year. Under the concern and support of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, Shanghai Municipal Government and all authorities, along with the hard working of the staff of relocation office, the progress of relocation has been very successful. Especially in the filed of residents relocation, 18,000 households have been resettled in their new living places basically within one year and a half. It can be said that the timely commencement of the Shanghai Expo Park should be attributed to the full support and effort of the original residents in the Park site.

Relocated residents:"enter"into new urban life style

"From old house to new house, not only our living conditions are changed, but also our life style have been completely renewed, which is really a result of the Shanghai Expo,"says Mr. Shen, moving from Huangpu old town with his face filled with emotion, which truly reflects the mind of many relocated residents.

Although the resident areas on both sides of Huangpu River are located in downtown, in fact they are nothing but the shanty town. Garret, night stool and briquette burning were normal sceneries. In addition, it was not rare to see a family with over ten members crowded inside a simple and apartment before. Although residents were a bit sentimentally attached to there native land, they were more than eager to change their living condition as early as possible.

Thanks to the day and night hard working by the Expo constructors, Sanlinyongtai Garden, the base for relocation and resettlement, was completed in the end of October 2005 as scheduled, and the relocated residents in Pudong Area have moved in their new apartments, turning a new leaf in their urban life. On December 30, 2005, another residential community for relocation, Pujiang Expo Garden, was also put into use, having started to receive the relocated residents from Luwang and Huangpu Districts.

Mr. Shens, a four member family, used to live under one roof with three generations. Their original 40 square meters small home has been changed to 110 square meters with three bedrooms and a living room. For him, the most important changes are not enlargement of living space, but the dynamic "new urban lifestyle" community model featured by the Expo Homeland, abundant and convenient service amenities, spacious and pleasant landscaping environment, and the socialized communication premises. All these made Mr. Shen realize the theme of Expo,"Better City, Better Life". Residents relocated in Pujiang Expo Garden all considered that "the government has made big efforts" for the relocation of residents in the Expo Park. A second-visit investigation of relocation work showed that most residents expressed that they were "very satisfied". Now, what the relocated residents mostly hope is looking forward to the eventual development of the Expo Park area construction, and they expect to return to this native land in 2010 to experience the excellence of the Expo. Mr. Shen took out a fine commemorative album of the Expo and there is an exchange coupon which is specially prepared for relocated residents for acquiring ticket for the Expo 2010. Handing this exchange-ticket, Mr. Shen's eyes were in high spirit,"Certainly all my family and I will go to see the Expo in 2010".

Historic buildings: leaving magnificent epic

Different from "leaving old and welcome new" of the relocated residents, there are some historical old buildings that will be preserved in their original places.

Along the Huangpu River, most riverside areas are the offspring left in the end of 19th century and early beginning of 20th century as a result of industrialization. On the coastlines of Huangpu River are a number of docks, plants and warehouses, among which, quite a lot are of outstanding historical significance. The statistics show that 250,000 square meters of spectacular historical buildings in the Expo Park area will be perfectly preserved, including some industry buildings, boatyards and structures of historical and utility values. They will be efficiently preserved and reconstructed into Expo halls like Shipping Industry Museum, Commerce Museum and Energy Museum. The wide scaled preservation of spectacular old buildings in the Shanghai Expo is the first of its kind in the history of Expo park construction since 1851.

As for how to preserve old cultural buildings, Shanghai Expo will absorb the actual operational experiences in some historical famous cities such as Suzhou, import foreign advanced renovation technology and high quality materials, and carry out renovation and anti-corrosive treatment for such old cultural buildings, historic style and features. After renovation, these old cultural buildings, a witness to the history, will mingle with the surrounding modern buildings and facilities, and represent a new facet of vigor.