The foundation stone of Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium, the last of Beijing’s 11 new venues to start to be built for the 2008 Olympic Games, was laid on September 17, officials announced today.
Beijing 2008 Project Construction Headquarters Office, which is overseeing the construction of all Olympic venues and auxiliary facilities, made the announcement at a press conference held in Beijing Olympic Media Center.
The officials said “remarkable progress” has been made in the construction of Olympic venues, and on-site safety, supervision and auditing of the projects have been ensured.
They added that, since the second half of 2004, the city authorities have planned venues to meet the Games’ needs whilst trying to fully utilize current facilities, prepare for after-event use and use as many temporary venues as possible.
These measures have gained support from both the International Olympic Committee and the international federations of various sports, they said.
Of the 31 venues to be used in Beijing, 11 are new, 11 are existing ones in need of renovation or expansion, and nine are temporary. Forty-one training venues and five facilities directly related to the Games will also be needed.
To ensure easy access to the venues, 59 roads and three bridges will be built or renovated. In addition, the environment around venues and roads is to be improved.
(China.org.cn September 20, 2005)
