Delivery riders, property managers, and merchants came together recently to discuss practical solutions to urban commercial zone issues.
At a recent "Warm New Energy, Collective Governance" community consultation held at the Duoge Creative House in Beizhan Street, express delivery and ride-hailing workers sat down with commercial district operators to openly discuss pressing concerns. Topics ranged from insufficient electric bike parking during peak hours at major shopping centers to requests for water stations near food delivery lockers and the need for more delivery racks to prevent meals from being placed on the ground. This collaborative dialogue has become a regular occurrence at the street's innovation hub.
Since the start of this year, the street has deepened its "multi-grid integration" governance model, using the Duoge Creative House as a platform for commercial district discussions. Six major "Duoge Creative Plans" have been launched, including a "cross-boundary problem-solving workshop," a "creative afternoon tea" salon, a "grid creation" growth camp, a "grid rotating chairperson" program, a "resource treasure map" co-creation initiative, and a "think tank observer group." These efforts explore a new grassroots governance path led by Party organizations with broad participation from multiple stakeholders.
From "waiting for complaints" to "proactively identifying issues"
The Duoge Creative House is more than just a meeting space—it serves as a tangible frontline outpost extending services to the edges of the commercial district. Through the "1121" visit-and-research mechanism, the street proactively identifies pain points and challenges, then facilitates face-to-face communication through activities like the "creative afternoon tea" salon. For instance, when issues arose regarding inefficient food delivery routes and chaotic vehicle parking at MixC World, property operators, food delivery platform managers, and frontline riders sat down together and immediately agreed on an optimization plan. This included refining pickup routes, designating temporary parking spots, regulating traffic flow, and setting clear deadlines and accountability for implementation.
"Previously, I had to figure everything out on my own—detours and parking struggles were the norm. Now that we sit down and discuss things together, problems get solved on the spot with clear plans. It makes me feel much more secure at work," one rider shared.
Pooling resources to deliver services to frontline workers
Effective grid governance relies on robust resource support. The street uses the Suzhou Creek Waterfront Commercial District Party Building Joint Conference as its core hub, integrating administrative, enforcement, corporate, and social organization resources to break down silos and form a coordinated framework. Various grid forces regularly station themselves at the Duoge Creative House to provide group-based convenience services—including legal consultations, health checkups, and skills training—for merchants, new employment groups, and sanitation workers. For women in the new employment sector, dedicated warm spaces like the "Liyuan Warm Corner" and "Goddess Treasure Box" have been established at the Suzhou Creek Greenbelt Party-Mass Service Station.
From "bystanders" to "partners" in governance
The vitality of grid governance ultimately depends on people's active participation. Through mechanisms like the "grid rotating chairperson" and "resource treasure map," merchants, new employment groups, and office workers have been mobilized to shift from being mere observers to co-builders in the governance process. Courier and delivery riders now volunteer as "community sentiment scouts," using their delivery routes to photograph and report hazards such as damaged manhole covers or malfunctioning streetlights, effectively becoming mobile "governance sensors." Commercial district leaders coordinate with the street to implement staggered road-sharing schemes that alleviate midday parking congestion near shopping areas. Along-street merchants have also responded enthusiastically to the "Road Guard Protection Plan," offering rest areas and drinking water for delivery workers—providing riders with much-needed places to pause and recharge.
This modest Duoge Creative House embodies the street's commitment to deepening "multi-grid integration" and fostering collaborative, shared governance among diverse stakeholders. Looking ahead, the street will continue to uphold Party-building leadership, consolidate various resources, deliver targeted services to different groups, and actively gather feedback from all sides. By building consultation platforms and fully engaging commercial district actors in grassroots governance, the goal is to achieve warm services, wise collective discussions, and unified governance—using this small community hub as a powerful lever to enhance the overall efficiency of grid management across the Suzhou Creek Waterfront Commercial District.