Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 387 Securing Projects

Wu Zhiyuan said slowly, "President Xu, I would like to discuss our thoughts from two perspectives."

One is the renovation and upgrading of the county town, which is both a project to improve people's livelihoods and a development project;

Another key aspect is the development of the cultural tourism industry, which is crucial for turning our beautiful mountains and rivers into real economic benefits.

Xu Enpei nodded, signaling Wu Zhiyuan to continue.

Wu Zhiyuan took a sip of tea and continued, "Anyone who has been to Qingyan County knows that the Qinghe River flows through the county, dividing Qingyan County into the East City and the West City.

A few years ago, Qinghe River was a stinking ditch with piles of garbage on both banks and sewage flowing directly into it. In the summer, flies and mosquitoes would swarm everywhere, and the stench could be smelled from a great distance. The locals complained a lot and would take a detour.

In recent years, the county has gritted its teeth and made a determined effort to clean up the water, dredging, intercepting sewage, and protecting the riverbanks. It has put in a lot of effort, and the water quality has improved.

But to be honest, it's still far from our ideal of clear water, green banks, beautiful scenery, and harmonious people.

Now that the water is clean, some people have started clearing land along the river to grow vegetables, some have piled up miscellaneous items and dumped garbage, and some have even built illegal structures.

The key issue is that such excellent water resources are not being utilized at all, and they are completely disconnected from the development of the county town.

There's simply no decent place for ordinary people to take a walk or relax along the river.

It's dark at night, so no one goes there.

It's like having a fine piece of jade at home, but just leaving it lying around in a corner like a useless rock—what a waste!

Wu Zhiyuan continued, "We thought about it for a long time and felt that Qinghe is the most precious and most likely 'jade belt' in the county.

Our idea is to combine the renovation and upgrading of the old city area with a comprehensive landscape improvement and functional reshaping of Qinghe.

The goal can be summed up in eight words: return the river to the people and nourish the city with water.

Specifically, the core section of the river, approximately three kilometers long, from Qinglong Bridge upstream to Shuanglong Bridge downstream, will be transformed into a vibrant central landscape belt for the county town.

Xu Enpei asked, "Is it just about landscaping and paving walkways?"

Wu Zhiyuan shook his head and said, "If we only focus on landscaping, we can do it for tens of millions, but that would be too small a scale, which would be a pity and would also lack the ability to sustain operations."

My idea is that we must deeply integrate landscape enhancement, public space creation, and commercial value development so that this project can be self-sustaining and operate in a virtuous cycle.

Along both banks of the river, especially the area on the east bank, there are now some old residential areas, company dormitories, and vacant land, which are perfect for overall planning and revitalization.

On the riverside, we initially envision building a distinctive commercial street, which could be called Qinghe Water Street.

The architectural style needs careful consideration. It should echo the traditional residential elements of Qingyan to reflect its cultural heritage, but it should not be completely retro. It should have a modern and design-oriented feel to attract young people.

Businesses should focus on the theme of "water".

For example, riverside restaurants can build extended water terraces or tables, allowing tourists and diners to truly dine by the water.

Teahouses can be partially built on the water, creating a tranquil atmosphere for listening to flowing water and sipping fragrant tea;

Interspersed throughout are small pubs, cafes, cultural and creative shops, and specialty snack stalls, showcasing and selling Qingyan's specialties and handicrafts such as chestnuts, mushrooms, bamboo weaving, and pottery.

In the middle section of the water street, a large waterfront plaza can be planned, equipped with a musical fountain. In the evenings, water screen movies and small-scale cultural performances can be held, making it a place for citizens to relax and socialize, and for tourists to experience the nighttime economy.

Xu Enpei pressed further, "What about the investment and returns? Relying solely on the operation of the water street probably wouldn't be enough to offset the huge investment, would it?"

Wu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "President Xu has asked the key question. So our plan is a complex one."

Behind the water street, on the side facing the main urban road, several high-quality waterfront ecological residential communities can be planned and developed.

Qingyan has a population of 900,000 and a low urbanization rate. Although it is a poor county and the urban and rural residents are not wealthy overall, there are also a group of people who have become rich first.

Many new commercial housing projects have been built in Qingyan County in recent years, but there are almost no truly high-end, distinctive, and environmentally superior properties on the market.

If several well-designed, high-quality residential communities with scenic views from every window and waterfront access could be developed along the Qinghe River, leveraging the beautiful environment and commercial facilities created by the waterfront area, the market prospects would be very promising.

The revenue from this land sale and development can effectively support the earlier river management, public space construction, and the investment and operation of the waterfront, forming a virtuous cycle of development where commerce supports the landscape, the landscape drives land development, and the land promotes urban growth.

Xu Enpei pondered for a moment and said, "The idea is correct. But the toughest part of county town renovation is often demolition."

The eastern coastal area you just emphasized sounds like it involves a large area, and the scale and complexity of the demolitions must be considerable, right?

Wu Zhiyuan replied, "President Xu has a clear understanding. Demolition is indeed a difficult point, but it is also the key to success or failure."

The initial survey of that area indicates it involves approximately 300 households and some old company dormitories.

We are confident that we can do a good job, but the premise is that the work must be solid, the methods must be correct, and the compensation must be reasonable.

Our principle is that we will never let the people who support urban development suffer losses.

Our initial plan is to locate the resettlement housing in the best possible locations so that the relocated residents can benefit from the Qinghe River management and development as soon as possible and truly improve their living conditions.

Only when the people genuinely support us can all subsequent work be carried out effectively.

"Please rest assured, Mr. Xu, that once the cooperation direction is set, our county party committee and government will establish the strongest working group to conduct thorough and meticulous work on demolition and relocation assessments, policy formulation, and community outreach, thus clearing away the biggest obstacles to the smooth progress of the project."

Xu Enpei smiled approvingly: "County Chief Wu has thought things through thoroughly and dares to confront tough challenges."

When it comes to urban development, especially the renewal of old cities, the most difficult part is getting through the work with the public.

If you have this determination and a clear mind, we will be much more interested in participating.

This direction can serve as a key reserve project for our future in-depth cooperation.

You can send us more detailed preliminary information and ideas later, and we will have the Investment and Development Department and the Planning and Design Institute conduct internal research first.

Could you elaborate on your thoughts regarding the development of the cultural and tourism industry, as you just mentioned?

"My idea is to attract investment and turn Qingyan's beautiful mountains and rivers, ancient charm and customs into a treasure trove that attracts visitors from all directions and increases the income of the people."

It is true that Qingyan has a weak foundation, but its resource endowment is not bad, especially in terms of natural ecology and historical culture, where there are some hidden treasures.

For example, a rafting project could be developed. Within the territory of Wuhe Town, there is a Xiangshui River, which originates from Shuangyu Mountain, flows through several villages, and merges into the Qinghe River.

We sent people to conduct an on-site survey. From Shuangyushan Reservoir upstream to the ancient village of Shiyan downstream, there is a natural drop of more than 120 meters in a section of the river that is about seven kilometers long.

The river meanders and twists, with verdant mountains on both banks, creating a wild and charming landscape.

These conditions are ideal for developing summer rafting.

Wu Zhiyuan took out a simple diagram he had prepared: "The key is that this location is uniquely advantageous."

The upstream starting point of the rafting trip is very close to Shuangyu Mountain, and the downstream end point is in Shiyan Village, a well-preserved ancient village from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

If the wildlife park is established, along with Shuangyushan, Shiyan Village, and this rafting experience, these attractions can be perfectly connected.

Tourists can plan an itinerary like this: visit the zoo in the morning, enjoy farm-style dishes and visit the ancient village in Shiyan Village at noon, and experience thrilling rafting in the afternoon.

With this package, tourists can have at least a whole day to play, so their spending naturally increases.

The investment in rafting projects is relatively controllable, mainly involving river safety improvement, construction of dams, docks, safety facilities, and visitor centers.

Preliminary estimates suggest that it could be started with just tens of millions of yuan, and the construction period is short, with quick results, rapidly creating a new attraction.

Xu Enpei frowned and said, "Rafting is too seasonal. It's usually only popular for a few months in the summer, and the facilities are idle at other times, which puts a lot of pressure on operations."

"Mr. Xu is right, so rafting can only serve as a condiment to enrich the business and a supplement to traffic."

What truly enables in-depth experiences, extended overnight stays, and a higher level of consumption is our other trump card – hot springs.

Wu Zhiyuan seized the opportunity to take a copy of the report from the file bag and handed it to Xu Enpei.

"This is an abstract of a geothermal resource exploration report conducted by the Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources in Shahe Town in the 1990s."

Shahe Town is located west of Wuhe Town, about a 20-minute drive away.

The report confirms the existence of a geothermal anomaly zone beneath Shahe Town.

At that time, an exploration well was drilled, 1,200 meters deep, and the water temperature that flowed out reached 56 degrees Celsius.

The water quality test results show that it is of the calcium magnesium sulfate type, with relatively high levels of metasilicic acid and fluoride, classifying it as high-quality hot mineral water with clear medical value.

It has good effects on soothing nerves, skin care and body shaping, and relieving joint discomfort.

Xu Enpei quickly scanned the key data in the report and asked, "What's the current status of this well? Is the resource supply guaranteed?"

Wu Zhiyuan said, "I went to the site myself and saw that the wellhead facilities are still there, but they have been abandoned for many years. Professional well cleaning and pumping tests are needed to assess the current situation."

I consulted relevant experts, and they said that as long as the geological structure is stable and the resources will not be depleted, there is a high possibility of reactivating and utilizing these deep geothermal wells.

Moreover, experts believe that the geothermal resource potential of the area where Shahe Town is located may be more than just this one well. If necessary, more detailed exploration can be carried out to find geothermal reservoirs with larger reserves and higher temperatures.

Crucially, this location is not far from a future major transportation artery. Once the secondary road from Wuhe to Jiangzhou is completed, the journey from downtown Jiangzhou to Shahe Town will be reduced to around fifty minutes, well within the ideal distance for a weekend getaway.

Xu Enpei nodded and said, "Fifty-six degrees Celsius is quite good. The high content of metasilicic acid is an even bigger highlight, making it very suitable for creating mid-to-high-end hot spring health and wellness products."

If, as you say, it can be combined with the wildlife park, ancient villages, and rafting in Wuhe Town, then this combination of activity and tranquility, sightseeing and wellness, would be very attractive.

Tourists can enjoy sightseeing in Wuhe Town during the day, relax in the hot springs of Shahe Town in the evening, and stay overnight, which can significantly enhance the comfort and added value of the entire trip.

Hot springs target not only tourists, but also a stable local customer base for wellness, retirement, and conference/training services, making the market potential even greater.

Wu Zhiyuan pressed on, "Yes, Mr. Xu. Our initial idea is that if we can bring in a powerful and experienced investor like Chengtou, we can plan a high-standard hot spring health resort town in Shahe Town."

It's not just about building a few hot spring pools and hotels; it's about creating a year-round, multi-functional resort destination centered around hot springs, integrating boutique hotels, hot spring villas, a health management center, a traditional Chinese medicine treatment center, specialty restaurants, a conference center, and light sports activities such as hiking, cycling, jungle adventure, and paintball in the surrounding mountains and fields.