In the summer more than ten years ago, the scorching sun was coming. Next to the third blast furnace in Shougang Park, Liu Yongliang, who was in his early 20s, connected the train cars one by one, and the train took molten iron at several thousand degrees Celsius to the steel mill. The melted iron is like the sun that is so close to you, making people's faces hot.
On September 7 this year, the sun was still sunny. 39-year-old Liu Yongliang repaired the ice in the short track speed skating hall of Shougang Garden, and the thermometer on the wall showed 11℃. He laughed and said that this is a good place to escape the summer heat.
In the past ten years, the transformation around Liu Yongliang has not only happened at work, but also at his doorstep, the "Nan Dahuang" that was originally called Beijing, has now become a Winter Olympic Park with "birds singing and flowers singing and beautiful environment".
From the stove to the ice rink is the projection of Shougang's industrial transformation process on a worker. As time goes by, the entire Shijingshan District has also been "renovated": the National Winter Training Center, Shougang Ski Jump Platform has been newly built, and the western section of the M11 line has been built...
, a traditional heavy industrial area, is "magnificently turning", gradually moving towards a green and high-end urban area.
Liu Yongliang stood on the ice of the short track speed skating hall, holding an old photo of " fine coal workshop" in his hand. Beijing News reporter Wang Wei Photo by
I In front of my house "Nandahuang " becomes a winter Olympic Park
Shougang was first built in 1919 and is a steel factory with a history of 100 years.
The original appearance of the short track speed skating hall was once the fine coal workshop of Shougang Park. Photo provided by the interviewee
During the production period of Shougang, Liu Yongliang was a " shunter ", dealing with torpedo tankers and trains that fill iron all day long. At that time, regardless of winter or summer, he had to wear insulation clothing to prevent burns from possible splashing iron. "If you don't wear heat insulation clothes, the iron will catch fire when it touches the clothes, and a small spot may burn after wearing them." Now, he has become an ice maker, and he still has to work with long sleeves in summer, but in order to keep warm.
On December 19, 2010, the last blast furnace in the Shijingshan factory in Shougang was suspended. At the end of that year, the main steel process in the factory was completely suspended. After
, workers in Beijing can sign up to go to the Caofeidian factory in Hebei Province to continue their work. Many colleagues around Liu Yongliang went to Caofeidian. But at that time, his parents were in poor health and the child was still young. After some consideration, Liu Yongliang and a group of workers stayed in Beijing Shougang Park to take care of machinery and equipment. He still remembered that at that time, everyone was doing the work of returning materials, and the silo stored the remaining raw materials from the Shougang production period, such as coke, which needed to be sent to steel mills in other places for continued use.
Liu Yongliang's work seems to have entered a semi-static state. He felt that compared to the busy period of steel production, the work of caring for machines was much more idle, and there was no risk of being scalded like before.
Shougang Shijingshan factory area before the suspension of production. Photo provided by Shougang Park
Turning point occurred in 2013. In this year, the National Development and Reform Commission of continued to increase support for the transformation and upgrading of Shijingshan Shougang Park, and successively arranged central budget investment to support the construction of projects such as the Winter Olympic Organizing Committee Office Area, helping the Shougang Park strengthen its comprehensive service functions and provide important support for the successful holding of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics .
At the same time, Liu Yongliang received a notice: The West Ten Silo area in Shougang Park will be transformed into the office area of the Winter Olympic Organizing Committee. He started to work hard again, organized construction, and demolished the silos that originally stored coal, ore powder, and the steel structure of the equipment.
In the past ten years, the transformation around Liu Yongliang has not only happened at work. Now, his home is close to the newly built Winter Olympic Park. Opposite the window is Lianshi Lake . The scenery is beautiful and the air is fresh. But it turned out that the Winter Olympic Park was the "South Wilderness" of Beijing. The river channel of Yongding River was dry, without a drop of water, and dust would be blowing when the wind blew.
Shougang workers grinding skills made golden font signature ice
Now, many ice sports clubs are visiting Shougang Park for the "Four Ice" training.
In 2017, Shougang and the General Administration of Sports of China signed the "Cooperation Framework Agreement on Preparing for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Building a National Sports Industry Demonstration Zone", and decided to build a National Winter Sports Training Center in the Shougang Park.
Using industrial relics such as fine coal workshops, Shougang Park has transformed four training venues: short track speed skating , figure skating , ice hockey, and curling , which are used for the training of the national team before the Winter Olympics. This is commonly known as the "four ice pieces".
One of the "four ices" in Shougang Park - the short track speed skating hall. Photo by Wang Fangjie, Beijing News reporter
In the early stage of the construction of the "Four Ice", Liu Yongliang was only responsible for property preparations. Later, an ice-making study registration form was handed to him. Out of curiosity about "icing making", he and his colleagues signed up to go to Capital Stadium to learn ice making. At this time, Liu Yongliang was 34 years old and was about to enter a brand new field.
In 2018, Liu Yongliang, who mastered ice making technology, returned to Shougang Park and began to serve the national sports team that came to train. In June of that year, the figure skating team was the first to enter Shougang Park. The newly promoted ice makers had to prepare the ice surface one month or half a month in advance before the athletes came. Looking back on the past, Liu Yongliang couldn't hide his excitement: "The ice of the figure skating team is the first piece of ice we made. I was very excited and even bought a cake to celebrate." It was not easy to find out the experience of ice making in the early stages of
. The principle of "water freezes below 0℃" is very simple, but it is difficult to make a piece of training ice that meets the "Winter Olympic standards".
Icemaking depends on ice makers combining local climate, humidity and other environmental factors, and explore and debug bit by bit in practice. The temperature of the ice, the softness and crispness of the ice surface will affect the athlete's movements. When the ice production was first started, the ice produced by Liu Yongliang was not effective. He went to the ice rink every day to ask the athletes, how is the ice skating today? Liu Yongliang recorded the athletes' feelings, and then adjusted the unit temperature, water quality, etc. every day. He remembered that the one he asked the most was the short track speed skater. Later, he summarized the experience values of temperature, water pH, and mineral content, so that athletes can increase their speed on ice.
During the Winter Olympics , Liu Yongliang participated in the ice protection work of figure skating and short track speed skating events in the Capital Stadium. After the Winter Olympics, he continued to make and maintain the ice surface in Shougang Park.
In the past, in the factory, not only did the working environment dirty, hot and tired, but after working for a long time, he would also integrate into the machinery production line, feeling that he was just a screw of a huge machine. In comparison, making ice in the short track speed skating hall has a clean and safe environment, and every piece of ice is made with a sense of accomplishment. From the stove to the ice rink, Liu Yongliang was enthusiastic about work rekindling the fire.
"Winter Olympic Standard" ice surface and ice maker who has served the Beijing Winter Olympics has become the signature of the "four ices" in Shougang Park.
On the afternoon of September 7, Liu Yongliang used the repair ice car to adjust the edge of the ice surface. Photo by Wang Jingxi, reporter of Beijing News
The century-old factory has become an internet celebrity check-in place
Now when it comes to "Shougang", what is called "steel and fire" in people's minds are no longer steel and fire, but the Winter Olympics, ice and snow, and internet celebrity check-in place.
Shougang has been relocated and has been exploring for nearly 20 years, and has now become a high-end industrial comprehensive service area integrating commerce, technology, sports, culture and tourism. When Liu Yongliang passed through Shougang Park, he also lamented the great changes in the park: in the past, under the No. 4 blast furnace, the train transporting raw materials was shuttled. Now the railway tracks have been removed, and on the wide road are driving driverless cars that are running. "Retired employees who have worked for decades have come, and they say they don't know the road anymore."
Vehicles pass on the roads in Shougang Park. Photo by Wang Fangjie, Beijing News reporter
After the end of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics, Shougang Park officially entered the "post-Winter Olympic era". In April this year, after the North District of Shougang Park was fully opened, it attracted many tourists. Shougang Park is also further improving commercial and business supporting facilities such as parking, catering, and shopping. On June 18, Shougang Park Liugonghui Shopping Plaza officially entered the external business stage and became a new place for leisure and consumption for surrounding residents.
During the summer vacation, the Shougang Ski Jumping Platform Departure Zone resumed opening to the public and became an internet celebrity check-in place. The Immersive Digital Art Museum of the Outhouse, which retains the industrial style, also attracts many tourists to visit the museum.On weekends, parents brought their children here to check in, and some young people also found this digital art museum full of cyberpunk atmosphere through online search.
big jump platform original site. Photo provided by Shougang Park
big jump platform. Photo provided by Shougang Park
Whenever you pass by the once familiar industrial relics, a contrast arose in Liu Yongliang's heart: the third blast furnace that can melt iron ore has cooled down, and a bookstore has been opened on the first floor, where people can rest; the newly built ski jump platform is like "crystal shoes", becoming a landmark building; Liugonghui is always coming and going... The fire of the steel factory in the past has become the fireworks of the world today.
Shougang Park Third Blast Furnace was originally used to melt iron ore and iron ore powder into molten iron. It has now become the world's first launch platform for many brands. It can overlook the park's scenery on its 40-meter platform. Photo by Wang Fangjie, reporter of Beijing News
Transformation of traditional heavy industrial zones in green high-end urban zones
Shougang Park uses various functional places to transform industrial heritage, and has become an ideal investment and business destination for many companies.
"Sports" and "Technology" are the two key points of Shougang Park's industrial development. Wu Xin, deputy director of the Industrial Development Department of Beijing Shougang Construction Investment Co., Ltd., once said that Shougang has five projects for the Winter Olympics and ten projects for smart parks, including variable track design for ski jump platforms, unmanned vehicle driving and other themes. These 15 projects have brought cutting-edge scientific and technological elements to Shougang Park. Since then, Shougang Park has begun to attract investment, attracting external enterprises to settle in, and providing enterprises with space to build technological application scenarios.
Take Shougang Park as a microcosm, Shijingshan District continues to accelerate industrial transformation and upgrading, moving from a traditional heavy industrial zone to a green and high-end urban area. This is also in line with Beijing's development idea of "reducing quantity + improving quality" in recent years.
As Chang Wei, secretary of the Shijingshan District Party Committee, said in the forum, Shijingshan District is in a strategic opportunity period for integrating into the new pattern of capital development, a critical period for transformation and development, and a critical period for urban rejuvenation. It will seize the valuable opportunities of the post-Winter Olympics and the rejuvenation of the new Shougang, deeply implement the strategy of urban renewal and industrial transformation and development, and strive to create a new landmark for urban rejuvenation "together to the future" and build the west gate of the capital at a high level.
Shijingshan District's "2022 Government Work Report" also shows that in the past five years, the high-end and sophisticated industries in Shijingshan District have grown rapidly, and The tertiary industry has become the main force driving economic growth. Shijingshan District has become a national industrial transformation and upgrading demonstration zone.
Not only has the economic development been effective, but in recent years, people living here have a consensus: the sky is bluer, the water is greener, and the city is renewed. To calculate the reasons, Shijingshan continues to renovate old communities and shantytowns, and the living environment of tens of thousands of households has been fundamentally improved; 3,622 acres of afforestation and greening have been completed, and 20 new urban parks have been renovated. Open the map search and you can easily find parks that provide a green jogging environment.
Shougang Park Third Blast Furnace before the suspension. Photo provided by Shougang Park
Shougang Park 3 blast furnace. Photo provided by Shougang Park
Transformation and development is to move forward in a better direction. Over the past decade, from Shijingshan, Shougang, and to individuals represented by Liu Yongliang, they have experienced the challenges brought by transformation and development, and the exploration and harvest in the process have similar paths.
Liu Yongliang has worked in Shougang for 22 years and has been working in ice making for more than 4 years. At the age of 34, he seized the opportunity this year, from a dialer to an ice maker participating in the Winter Olympics, he believed that he had achieved good results.
More than ten years ago, Shougang workers transported tons of coal to the fine coal workshop. Now, the fine coal workshop has been transformed into a clean and bright short track speed skating hall. "This column is the load-bearing column of the fine coal workshop before, and coal marks can be seen on it." Liu Yongliang touched the rough cement column body, and behind him was a white ice surface. He stood in the middle, as if connecting the two eras of this workshop.
The last piece of ice that Liu Yongliang wants to make this year has been made for 8 days.On the afternoon when the ice was just finished, a group of young athletes came to "try the ice". Liu Yongliang told them about the general process of ice making: first freeze the bottom ice on the cement floor, then spray white ice paint on the frozen ground, then spray foggy water ten times to seal the ice; draw the finish line and track point, spray foggy water seven to eight times to seal the ice; water thicken, reach a thickness of 2.5 cm, then use a water pipe to level the hot water at 60℃, then use an ice truck to load 60℃ hot water on the ice surface and pour hot water over and over again, and finally reach a thickness of about 3.2 cm; after the ice surface is made, use an ice truck to sweep the ice throughout the whole process to level it.
On the afternoon of September 7, a group of young athletes skated on the freshly made new ice. Photo provided by the interviewee
"The children said that this piece of ice is like a sandwich cookie, with a layer of biscuits and a layer of cream, and the ice on the surface is the top layer of biscuits." Liu Yongliang said, with a smile in his tone. He turned his head to look at the free and lively children on the ice rink, with his eyes as long as they were for the future.
Beijing News reporter Wang Jingxi Zhao Yanan Liu Jingyu Wang Wei Wang Fangjie
Edit Fan Yijing Proofreading Liu Jun
