Sports areas and equipment

Parque Central da Asprela is being designed by a team of specialists who see the great challenge of hydrographic control of Ribeira da Asprela and all other surrounding streams as an opportunity to create a unique landscape space in Porto, pleasant not only for the enjoyment of population but also as a crossing solution (pedestrian or cycling) for the academic community that daily studies and works in this area of ​​the city. The park is part of the green lung of the city. This NBS is a continuation of an action implemented in 2015 by the Municipality of Porto that had in mind the creation of a park which eventually had to be renovated and integrated and this is how this new NBS came to be implemented. (1)

The landscaping of the Vuosaari landfill site has appeared to be an excellent example of ”Integrated Planning Approach” as following concepts were applied: restorative design; ecological design; regenerative development and conventional design (ref. 1). The unused Vuosaari landfill hill had been transformed into a natural area where now domestic plants grow in meadows and rocky conditions. The area is now also used for recreational, educational and scientific purposes (ref 1, 2). The purpose of the project was to promote social, economic and environmental activities at the Vuosaari landfill site (ref. 1).

Weaver Park is was built on an area of 0.6 ha in the Liberties area in Dublin. It is one of the developments that form a part of the Liberties Greening Strategy. The park’s purpose was to address the lack of green space in the area, to provide a place for skateboarding and other recreational activities, and a place for relaxation and community events. (Ref. 1; Ref. 5)

The re-urbanization of the Poligono de Levante neighbourhood included the creation of two large urban parks to form a green area of 47 722 m2 and several environmental considerations such as a bridge for fauna (Ref 1), as it is a strategical zone of Palma . It is a combination of different initiatives, some of which include green elements (Ref 1 and Ref 3).

Owing to the city’s participatory budget, the residents created a well-equipped green recreational square in a vacant area of one of Bydgoszcz's neighbourhoods. The initiative involved the creation of an outdoor gym with several exercise equipment stations, as well as planting pollution-resistant trees and bushes - including oaks, maples, pine and spruce. The initiative aims to manage vacant space and increase access to the green space in this city district [1].

The revitalization of two parks in Bydgoszcz - on 'Dabrowski’ and 'Liberty’ hills was planned in 2016 and successfully implemented in 2019. The project involved greenery planting, building health paths and outlook points, as well as new benches and a playground. It improved the aesthetic qualities of the parks, supported the effective management of rainwater and reduced noise from the surrounding areas [1].

The Salitre Garden was a public park inaugurated in 1994 and built around the area of the former gunpowder factory. For this reason, it is also known as the Garden of Gunpowder (Ref 2). It is a green space planned in the urban centre, that has gone through different rehabilitation and remodelling stages. The first one was in 1987 when the land was bought by the municipality and made into the park (Ref 2 and 3). The second one was in 2012 by covering a green space around the powder factory (Ref 5). Another one was the inclusion of a new green labyrinth was installed in 2017 (Ref 4). The last one was in 2020 when a new botanical garden will be created on the island, with an open-air gym and a children's area (Ref 8).

Portsmouth and its surrounding areas are under ‘serious water stress’ and water companies are being asked to take less water from some of their sources. This includes reductions to the amount of water that Southern Water can take from the rivers Test and Itchen in Hampshire. To address this, Portsmouth Water started the planning of a new Havant Thicket Reservoir.
The water to be stored in the reservoir will be supplied from surplus winter yield from the Havant & Bedhampton Springs. In winter, higher rainfall leads to a higher springs yield which flows into the sea, but a portion would now be pumped to the new reservoir. Long-term benefits of the proposed reservoir include enhancing the local environment and providing a new wetland habitat. (1,5)
In November 2020, the Havant Thicket Reservoir planning applications have been submitted to Havant Borough Council and East Hampshire District Council for validation. (7)

The project aims to completely redevelop ‘Rozemaai’, a neighborhood in Antwerp, focusing on climate change adaptation, green spaces, and recreation. This includes a sustainable drainage system in which storm water flows via swales into a water stream with nature-friendly river banks, trees and bushes in the neighborhood, green parking lots, allotments and recreational facilities such as picnic tables (Ref. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Since 2019, the district has had a new, accessible park in which the Donkse brook plays a leading role (Ref. 7).

The Heinickeplatz in the Muggenhofer Strasse and its peripheral areas are being upgraded as a new green area in accordance with the objectives of the city redevelopment plan. The new landscape design for the Heinicke Square was developed in dialogue with local citizens through planning workshops followed by the opportunity to vote for one of the 4 landscape bureaus who applied for the reconstruction of the square. (1, 2). The implementation of the plan began in 2019 and is expected to be completed in 2021. (4) The implementation will include the plantation of new trees, grass, the creation of sports areas and the establishment of a new playground. (2)