A view of Liangtang River Wetland Park. [Photo/wxrb.com]

A 2.6-kilometer walking path along the Liangtang River, which is located in the south of Yangming subdistrict in Wuxi's Liangxi district, will open to the public soon, as part of the river's ecological restoration efforts.

The Liangtang River starts from the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in the east, joins Nanmali Port, which is now known as Miaoqiao Port, in the west, and enters Wuli Lake. It is the main water channel that runs horizontally between Wuxi Nanxiang Grand Canal and Taihu Lake in Wuxi.

Since the 1980s, various industrial enterprises have been built along the Liangtang River and polluted the water. The city started its ecological restoration efforts of the river and its surrounding land in 2016.

Officials from Yangming subdistrict said that ecological renewal work will be carried out on 13 hectares of Liangtang River Wetland Park, aiming to strengthen the connection between wetland spaces and industrial living spaces.

The 2.6-kilomter walking path along the river will include five nodes with leisure facilities, which is expected to become an ideal place for residents to exercise and enjoy natural views.

In addition, the wetland park is connected to a cultural innovation park, which was rebuilt from an industrial plant. A high-end senior care center and a 1,100-square-meter living complex for the disabled will also be put into operation by the end of this year, according to officials.