BEIJING,Nov.1 -- Modern China's greatest party ended more than two months ago. And athletes like Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps are no longer top news in these times of financial turmoil.
But there are people, and many at that, who still want to see the grandeur of the venues of the Olympic Games, especially the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube, from within.
Such visitors once experienced more problems than pleasure in trying to enter the venues. They were made to negotiate hurdles even a Dayron Robles or a Liu Xiang would find difficult.
The Games was for the people, especially those who take pride in their country and love sports. That is why it is now heartening to know that people can get into the venues, as well as the Olympic Green, more easily.
Let's examine the sort of problems visitors once faced. They gathered around the Olympic Green during the National Day holidays, eager to get into at least one of the venues. But they could not buy tickets to the Water Cube because they were not being sold at the site. And, there were no signboards telling them where to buy one.
The more enthusiastic found that tickets could be bought at the Workers' Stadium. The information spread by word of mouth. But the Workers' Stadium is a full 40 minutes drive from the Water Cube. Some desperate ones still went to the stadium, only to be told that tickets had been sold out.
As a last resort, they turned to the touts, who demanded 50 or even 100 percent more for the tickets. There was another problem. Tickets to the Bird's Nest could be sold only in batches of 10 for individual visitors. Hence, many visitors had to form groups with strangers.
If you thought that was the end of it, you would be wrong. Beijing News reported that more than 200 visitors at a time had to queue up to go to a toilet at the Olympic Green on Oct 11. And a woman from Hubei province had to wait for 40 minutes.
Earlier, an official of the National Aquatics Center Co, which manages the Water Cube, explained that tickets had to be sold from another place during the National Day holidays because a maximum of only 3,000 people at a time could be allowed inside. And only 16,000 people a day could visit the venue where Phelps made history and Chinese divers swept almost all the gold medals on offer.
It is understandable and necessary that the number of visitors has to be set for safety reasons. But the way the authorities tried to tackle the problem was wrong. They did not have to turn away visitors without informing them where they could buy tickets.
One has to appreciate the enthusiasm of these people and their willingness to spend in these difficult times when most Chinese are reverting to their parents' philosophy of "a penny saved is a penny earned". Besides, many of them had traveled long distances to fulfill their dream of seeing the "magic places." A notice should have been enough to ensure the safety of the venues and tell the people to come back another time.
The ordeals endured by the visitors prompted the authorities to swing into action, and redress most of the grievances. Tickets for the Water Cube can now be bought on the spot. The current practice of not selling more than two tickets per person and giving each ticket a 45-minute slot balances safety needs and the convenience of visitors. What is more, the crowds inside the Water Cube have reportedly become more orderly, even though the number of visitors has been increased to 20,000 a day.
People can now buy single tickets to the Bird's Nest, too, and the daily number of visitors has been set at 80,000. And perhaps more importantly, as the Beijing Evening News reported last Thursday, 450 makeshift toilets and more dustbins have been installed at the Olympic Green.
All these steps show the authorities have listened to the complaints of the people aired through the press and the Internet. They prove, too, that even the most difficult problems can be solved if the authorities examine them carefully, and improve their management skills to better meet the needs of the people.
there is no other option but to find harmonious solutions to people's problems if we are to ensure that they benefit from the legacy of what IOC President Jacques Rogge called a "truly exceptional Games".
As the financial crisis darkens clouds over the global economy and people start cutting their budgets, the problems venue authorities have to deal with should be viewed positively. They should not rest on their laurels (after solving most of the problems discussed above). Instead, they should try and improve services at the Olympic venues by providing more and a better variety of food and souvenirs, and holding more informative exhibitions showcasing the history of the venues and stories of the heroes.
Venue managers have to provide the best possible products and services. Otherwise, as the fever of the Beijing Games subsides, what they will be more likely to be worried about is how to attract visitors, not how to keep them away.
(Source: China Daily)
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