From 5G mobile phones to self-service bookstores, everything is going smart in China. And parks are now the next in line.
A bird's eye-view of the sports park on Ersha Island in Guangzhou, south China. /Guangzhou Daily
The sports park on Ersha Island in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou has been converted to a more energy-efficient and user-friendly park.
Built in 2010, the park took on a new look during the past National Day holiday with its 10,000 square meters area classified into three sections made up of traditional and smart equipment and facilities for children.
Brand-new smart fitness devices in the sports park. /Guangzhou Daily
In the brand new smart equipment area, there's a device to evaluate people's physique and give workout suggestions. Before using the smart workout facilities, residents can first scan QR codes on their smartphones and have their exercise data recorded online. Each time they do that, they can compare their exercise data with that of other users who had used the machines in the park before.
Working out in the park is not only good for working up a sweat, but also energy conservation. Some of the smart devices are connected to solar panels installed on awnings. When people use them, they are actually helping "generate electricity," which could be used to light up lamps in the evening.
As it was opened during the eight-day-long National Day holiday, the park immediately caught people's eyes and made the headlines on social media with 130 million views under the park hashtag created by local news outlets.
"Nowadays, people lead a stressful life and have little time for workout. This park has more fitness and recreational facilities to offer than other parks," a resident told the Guangdong TV.
Residents use the smart facilities to work out. /Guangzhou TV
Some netizens suggested that indoor gyms should also take into account equipment that are able to generate electricity.
Surrounded by the Pearl River, the park is harmoniously integrated into the island's ecological environment with flowers and trees growing close to each other. A jogging lane snakes through the park to allow joggers to get immersed in nature. To meet demands from different kinds of sports fans, the park have also built a soccer field, four basketball courts and replaced table tennis tables.
According to Guangzhou Daily, a total of six parks will be built on the island to develop it into a place for leisure and sports.