|
SHIJIAZHUANG, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- North China's Hebei province will initiate construction on 2022 Winter Olympic Games competition venues in 2017 after finishing planning work this year, local authorities said on Tuesday.
Beijing, along with the city of Zhangjiakou in Hebei Province, won the bid to co-host the 2022 Winter Olympics at the 128th IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur last year.
Over the past year, Hebei authorities drafted some 15 plans, including the 2022 Winter Olympic overall plan, the competition venues plan, a transportation plan, and a cultural industry plan.
The construction of a high speed railway between Beijing and Zhangjiakou was also launched.
Meanwhile, Hebei authorities took series measures to boost mass winter sports participation and elevate the winter sports industry. Hebei launched ice and snow season activities for 2016-17 on December 3, with 150 different activities set to run until March. "In 2017, Hebei will spare no efforts in the construction of venues, basic infrastructure construction, and winter sports popularization, in order to lay a solid foundation for a successful Winter Olympics," said Li Pu, an official with the Hebei organizing office for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
