Yanqing Olympic Zone to open to public soon as Beijing 2022's continued commitment to ensure a lasting legacy

BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The Yanqing Olympic Zone, which hosted alpine skiing, bobsleigh, skeleton and luge competitions during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, will open to the general public from Friday, operators said.

The Yanqing competition zone, the third area in Beijing titled "Olympic" after the city's Olympic Park and Winter Olympic Park, includes the National Sliding Center and the National Alpine Skiing Center.

At the National Sliding Center, visitors can walk along the path on the roof of the venue to enjoy both the full view of the Olympic Village and mountain scenery. Visitors can also take a 30-minute ride on the cable car from the Olympic Village to the National Alpine Skiing Center.

"We hope to offer the public a real Winter Olympic experience, so the Games-time features and settings of the venues have been maintained as much as possible," said Li Xin, deputy manager of Beijing Olympic venues operation company.

The signature wall of athletes and staff, souvenir shops as well as remote-controlled smart beds all remain to provide an authentic atmosphere for visitors. The food menu designed for the Olympic and Paralympic athletes at Beijing 2022 will also be available.

These venues will not only stage winter sports competitions in the future but also become a base camp for mountain activities like rock climbing, hiking and camping, according to Li.

Opening its venues to the public represents Beijing 2022's continued commitment to ensure a lasting legacy for the Games.

The National Aquatics Center, better known as the "Ice Cube" venue at the Beijing 2022 Games, has already opened to the public.