東莞橋(qiao)頭人鐘愛蓮(lian),明清時期,橋(qiao)頭便有數(shu)千(qian)畝(mu)荷(he)塘(tang),尤其是面積達100多公(gong)頃的蓮(lian)湖盡(jin)顯“接天連葉無窮碧,映日荷(he)花別樣紅”之景色。每逢盛夏(xia),蓮(lian)湖荷(he)香陣陣,歡歌笑語,劃船賞(shang)荷(he)者(zhe)絡繹不絕,興趣盎然(ran)。
蓮(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)地處橋(qiao)頭(tou)鎮中心,是東莞市(shi)著名旅游區(qu)(qu),廣東省最佳(jia)賞荷勝地之(zhi)一(yi)(yi)。蓮(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)原(yuan)名蓮(lian)(lian)塘湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu),屬天然湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)泊,是橋(qiao)頭(tou)地區(qu)(qu)五大(da)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)之(zhi)一(yi)(yi)(東太湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)、蓮(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)、面前湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)、新湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)、朗廈(sha)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu))。蓮(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)公(gong)園(yuan)包括松山區(qu)(qu)和蓮(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)風景區(qu)(qu),于2000年3月動(dong)工,同年12月31日竣工。蓮(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)公(gong)園(yuan)因(yin)位在蓮(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)而(er)得(de)名,蓮(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)岸線全長約2.5公(gong)里,面積300畝,湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)里遍種各色蓮(lian)(lian)花(hua),一(yi)(yi)年一(yi)(yi)度的荷花(hua)節就(jiu)在此舉行。
橋頭鎮(zhen)政府非常重(zhong)視建設(she)和改造(zao)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)風(feng)景(jing)(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu),2000年投(tou)巨資建成了(le)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)公園,并請關山月為公園題名,省書畫家為藝術長(chang)廊(lang)(lang)獻墨,名人(ren)名作,湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)光山色,相(xiang)映(ying)成趣。蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)風(feng)景(jing)(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu)總面積50多(duo)萬平(ping)方米,有300畝蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)、古典門(men)樓(lou)、松山觀(guan)(guan)光樓(lou)、觀(guan)(guan)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)亭、健身園、美食街、文化(hua)廣(guang)場、情人(ren)路、游湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)徑等(deng)(deng)(deng)景(jing)(jing)(jing)點組成。周邊配套建有體育中心(xin)、酒店(dian)服務(wu)、高尚(shang)住宅等(deng)(deng)(deng)中心(xin)區(qu)(qu),形成現代建筑(zhu)與自然風(feng)光相(xiang)互輝映(ying),別具(ju)歐陸風(feng)情的城市亮(liang)點。2006年,橋頭鎮(zhen)投(tou)入1000萬元(yuan),實施蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)景(jing)(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu)首期改造(zao)工程(cheng),興建了(le)賞荷長(chang)廊(lang)(lang)、親荷休閑(xian)區(qu)(qu)、觀(guan)(guan)景(jing)(jing)(jing)亭等(deng)(deng)(deng)觀(guan)(guan)賞景(jing)(jing)(jing)點,進一步(bu)提(ti)升了(le)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)景(jing)(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu)的文化(hua)品(pin)位(wei),增強了(le)蓮(lian)(lian)(lian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)景(jing)(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu)的觀(guan)(guan)賞性。
2004年(nian)和2005年(nian),中(zhong)國花(hua)(hua)卉協會(hui)荷(he)(he)(he)花(hua)(hua)分會(hui)、東莞(guan)(guan)市(shi)(shi)文化局(ju)、東莞(guan)(guan)市(shi)(shi)旅游局(ju)、東莞(guan)(guan)市(shi)(shi)橋(qiao)頭(tou)鎮人民政府在橋(qiao)頭(tou)鎮蓮湖風景區(qu)聯合主辦了第(di)一、二屆(jie)東莞(guan)(guan)橋(qiao)頭(tou)荷(he)(he)(he)花(hua)(hua)藝術節(jie)。活(huo)動項(xiang)目有粵港澳荷(he)(he)(he)花(hua)(hua)展(zhan)(zhan)、蓮湖藝術燈展(zhan)(zhan)、“蓮湖美景”攝影大賽、“燦爛的荷(he)(he)(he)文化”圖(tu)片展(zhan)(zhan)、民族民間(jian)歌(ge)舞晚會(hui)、“祝福橋(qiao)頭(tou)”文藝匯演、名(ming)家書畫(hua)展(zhan)(zhan)、投資項(xiang)目簽約儀式、“情滿蓮湖”閉(bi)幕式大型(xing)文藝晚會(hui)等。兩屆(jie)荷(he)(he)(he)花(hua)(hua)節(jie)期(qi)間(jian),共吸引了來自珠三角及香(xiang)港、澳門、臺灣等地區(qu)的游客達(da)50多(duo)萬。