From ramps to shuttles, China's Paralympic Villages ready to welcome delegations

The Beijing Winter Paralympic Villages have been welcoming more delegations since they opened on Friday. The management team of the villages has provided a unique look into the behind-the-scenes operations at the villages, which seek to provide a "feel-at-home" experience.

Among the total 48 delegations set to compete at the Games, the 44 members of the Chinese delegation settled in their quarters on the villages' opening day. The villages have also welcomed athletes and officials from New Zealand and Austria, while the rest are expected to arrive over the coming days, the China News Service reported.

The Beijing Winter Paralympic Villages have over 1,000 beds in total. The Winter Paralympic Village in Beijing's Yanqing district is expected to accommodate more than 500 athletes and team officials, while the village in Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei Province, is expected to host more than 700 personnel.

"We want to welcome athletes and officials from the delegations with warm and thoughtful service, so that athletes from all over the world can have a wonderful experience during the Games," a staff member at the Zhangjiakou Winter Paralympic Village told the China News Service.

As the first stop before entering the village, the reception hall of the villages have special barrier-free passageways that have been widened to 95 centimeters so that people in wheelchairs can pass by with ease.

The barrier-free facilities inside the rooms of the Winter Paralympic Villages are also built to be accessible so all athletes feel at home.

"The beds are 10 centimeters lower than those for the Winter Olympics, which makes it more convenient for wheelchair users to get in and out of bed freely," a manager at the Winter Paralympic Village in the Yanqing district told the Beijing Daily on Friday, adding that the popular Bing Dwen Dwen pillows have been replaced by one's featuring the Paralympic mascot Shuey Rhon Rhon.

In addition, the fitness centers, entertainment centers and public squares inside the Winter Villages have also undergone many changes to incorporate temporary barrier-free facilities, such as a wheelchair dining area inside each restaurant and a wheelchair and prosthesis repair center in each of the public squares.

A total of 640 barrier-free shuttles are ready and waiting to transport athletes to events.

Beginning on March 5, the athletes will compete for 78 gold medals across six sports from alpine skiing to wheelchair curling.