Beijing's Daxing district has begun to focus on renewing old residential communities this year. To date, it has attracted social capital investment worth 55.88 million yuan ($8.49 million) for 25 projects in its two pilot communities.

A vacant electric distribution room is converted into a service center in the Zaoyuan community. [Photo provided by Daxing district]

Zaoyuan is one of the pilot sites. Thanks to its community council, where residents are able to express their wishes and their suggestions can be adopted and become a reality, the old-fashioned neighborhood has turned into a people-centered and livable community.

Based on people's needs and the situation on the ground, the preliminary plan will only be finalized after a full public demonstration, and the final draft won't be implemented unless it receives approval from more than a half of residents, according to the community's Party Secretary Li Maohui.

At present, there are all kinds of leisure and entertainment infrastructures available in the public space -- including swings, slides, open-air movies, flea markets, circular tracks, and ecological corridors -- so it has become popular among the elderly and children. Living facilities such as convenience stores, staple food kitchens, stationery and book bars are also now available.

Fitness facilities enrich people’s lives in a park near the Zaoyuan community. [Photo provided by Daxing district]

A kitchen waste treatment station has been built to improve the local environment. [Photo provided by Daxing district]

Meanwhile, the community has established a kitchen waste treatment station to turn leftovers into organic fertilizer without leaving the estate, and to serve as a garbage sorting education and demonstration base.

"In the past, I have had to spend 20 minutes walking to the nearest market to buy food. There were no fitness facilities and no place to rest or have a cup of coffee either," said a resident surnamed Zhang.