(BEIJING, July 25) -- Deputy Director of the Olympic Village Department and Village spokesperson, Deng Yaping, announced at a BOCOG press conference Friday that the official opening of the Beijing Olympic Village would commence Sunday, July 27.
The Olympic Village will be open from July 27 through August 27, 2008. The facility was put into operation on July 20, 2008 with the arrival of the first 105 guests from Olympic delegations.
The Village is located on the northwest corner of the Olympic Green, adjacent to the Olympic Forest Park and north of the National Stadium and the National Aquatics Center.
The Village Mayor is Vice-Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, Ms. Chen Zhili. Under direction of the Mayor, all staff members will do their utmost to provide a safe, reliable and comfortable "homelike" environment so delegations can enjoy and fully participate in the Games, Deng said.
Deng described the layout of the Village's three main areas, the International Area, Residential Area and Operations Area. The Residential Area is comprised of 42 buildings for athletes, including 22, six-story buildings and 20, nine-story buildings.
"We have three major service centers, and nine small service centers, providing information, maintenance, laundry and other services for the villagers."
"And for the first time, we will offer "Gold Key" customer service. Thirty-six multilingual chief directors from top hotels across China will serve as "Gold Key" representatives providing villagers with the best customer service possible, Deng explained.
Companies that provided catering for eight previous Summer Olympics and five Winter Olympics are contracted to provide food services at the Village's main restaurant, branch restaurants and cafes. The main restaurant, with a capacity to serve 5,000 guests at a time, will offer Western and Asian cuisine on a 24-hour basis.
A comprehensive clinic will provide medicine, outpatient surgery, denistry, gynecologic and ophthalmologic services for athletes and officials 24 hours a day. Experienced doctors will also be on hand to offer Chinese massage, acupuncture and other services featuring China's traditional medicine culture.
The Operations Area has a car park, welcome center, media center, visitor center, logistics center, and shuttle bus stop for athletes.
Deng explained that the design, construction and services of the Beijing Olympic Village were pursuant to Olympic concepts that emphasize harmony between humans, architecture and the environment. She highlighted the facility's widespread application of solar energy, energy efficient devices, and electric busses.
The Olympic Village offers a rich and colorful section of interactive cultural activities. Villagers can take part in various theatrical performances and festivities throughout the duration of the Games. A special Chinese Learning Center has also been established to help villagers improve their Chinese language skills and learn the basics about Chinese calligraphy and other aspects of traditional culture.
Deng stated that as of Sunday, July 27 all preparations would be in order for the Village opening. "On behalf of the Olympic Village Mayor, Madam Chen Zhili, Deputy Mayor Du Deyin, all volunteers and staff, we welcome athletes and officials from 205 countries to visit us. We hope that your experience is unforgettable" she concluded.
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