Free, affordable public sports facilities benefit Guiyang residents

This year, the Guiyang sports bureau extended the operating hours of free or low-cost public sports facilities from 35 to 45 hours per week, aiming to build a more advanced public fitness service system for the city.

Yue Yiqi, deputy director of Guiyang Citizen Fitness Center, explained, "This year, the 8 am to 10 am free access to basketball, badminton, and table tennis facilities has been extended to 8 am to 12 pm on weekdays. We've also introduced 'benefit hours' from 12 pm to 3 pm for these sports, during which fees are reduced by half. On special occasions such as Spring Festival, National Day, and National Fitness Day on Aug 8, facilities are open to the public free of charge all day long."

"The extended hours have increased the number of visitors by approximately 20 percent this year, significantly boosting public enthusiasm for fitness," Yue added.

Zhang Xiaoyang, a sports enthusiast in Guiyang, receives an interview at the Guiyang Citizen Fitness Center. [Photo/tyj.guiyang.gov.cn]

Sports enthusiast Zhang Xiaoyang shared, "With free access before noon and public venues near my neighborhood, it's incredibly convenient to drop by any facility. This initiative is fantastic."

Yue emphasized the center's commitment to further improving safety services, optimizing fitness facilities, and enhancing service quality. "We aim to provide residents with more scientific and professional fitness guidance," she said.