Sports areas and equipment

The Tineretului Park is a special vegetation and touristic area, a forest park stretched over an area of ​​over 60 hectares, on the left bank of the Jiu River. It was rehabilitated in 2009 by the municipality and it is the second-largest park in the city. Before its rehabilitation, it was seen as a dangerous area, high in petty crimes. Its rehabilitation was also much needed since Craiova is one of the Romanian cities with the lowest number of green spaces (1,2) .

Forests fulfil several important climate functions, they are carbon sinks, regulate the local climate or buffer heatwaves and cloudbursts. Based on climate projections, longer dry periods are to be expected during summer months which have major implications for local humid forests. The “fit for climate change” project was initiated to develop and implement climate adaptation measures for the latter, for instance via hydrological regulation, the use and reinstatement of resilient, adapted tree species or revitalizing moors and swamps. It was administered by the regional forestry authority and the nature conservation station Münster (Ref. 1 and 2).

The Aa promenade, created in 1950 to provide the citizens of Muenster with a green experience trail in the inner city, was redeveloped in the 90s with several planting measures on riverbanks, walls and in adjacent areas. Next to a brochure, a nature trail which combines the existing recreational with an educational component was created with 18 site-specific signposting points. They cover multiple benefits and ecological functions of urban green spaces, city trees and green facades/walls (microclimate regulation, air quality, CO2 capture), anthropogenic threats, unknown biodiversity hotspots and natural monuments (Ref. 1, 3 and 6).

The Knowledge Mile Park initiative in Amsterdam aims to transform the long, busy and traffic-heavy street in downtown Amsterdam into an environment greener, more sustainable and more livable through the implementation on various Nature-based Solutions (9). Smaller projects include the creation and maintenance of pocket parks, green walls and facades, green roofs and living labs. The idea of the initiative came from the Knowledge Mile Community that aims at making Amsterdam more green, clean and smart by means of innovative solutions regarding air quality, climate change resilience, biodiversity and social cohesion. (1) municipality of Amsterdam and the business investment zone BIZ Knowledge Mile are working together with partners on the realization of the project (9)
The project is still ongoing, although parts of the Knowledge Mile Park are already created in 2016 including one living lab, two green roofs, a green canopy and a pocket park and other parts are planned such as the smart green wall (1)

A large urban park in Lublin was built to commemorate John Paul II’s visit to Poland in 1987. The project ensured the utmost possible preservation of the natural terrain so that it forms a harmonious whole with the surrounding landscape. The park serves as a green recreational area for the citizens with its open-air sports facilities and a small amphitheatre for local festivities and extracurricular activities [1].

The project introduces an urban park in the place of a formerly derelict area and a landfill, located by the river valley of Bystrzyca. The park would increase access to the green recreational area in the city, which is a part of a longer-term plan to make the river’s banks citizen-friendly and easily accessible. The initiative includes: clearing the land and planting greenery, construction of the 'sensory' garden for the youngest users, building walking and cycling paths and infrastructure adjusted to people with disabilities, as well as installation of the nesting boxes, feeders and insect hotels [1].

After its abandonment by the British military in 2012, the development of a new utilization concept and plan for the former military base in Gremmendorf was encouraged by the city’s planning department. Intensive citizen participation efforts were identified and ideas conceptualized, followed by an architectural competition based on which the spatial development plan was elaborated. The plan, which is currently being developed further by the winning architecture bureaus in coordination with the spatial development authority, intends the development of an attractive living quarter as a "garden town" with several green and sustainable drainage elements (Ref. 1 and 5).

B.Bylon Roof Park is a green park on top of the B.Amsterdam building which provides a healthy environment for employees and citizens of the neighbourhood. The park contains a vegetable garden, recreational facilities, meeting spots, sport facilities, a herb garden, a water basin, fruit trees, chickens and a restaurant (1,2,5,8). The roof park stores and uses storm water and an organic circular decomposing system provides plant nutrients. (4,7).

Due to the challenges caused by climate change, Hamburg decided to become greener and developed a comprehensive, pioneering green roof strategy. The strategy aims at creating 100 hectares of new green walls by 2019 by providing grants for building owners for greening roofs and offering them rain water fee reduction owing to the rain water retention of the green roofs. (Reference 1) The financial support offered until the end of 2019 is 3 million EUR. (Reference 2) The services offered by the city in this plan consist of four pillars: promotion (financial incentive), dialogue, regulation, and scientific support. (Reference 7)

The city of Salford has experienced several floods and is at risk of flooding once every 100 years (Ref1). The majority of properties in the city that lie in a high-risk flood zone are in the floodplain of the Irwell. The UK's Environment Agency and the council, designed a flood prevention scheme which included temporary water storage areas which will store floodwater on the existing Castle Irwell playing fields and public open space, and double as sports area otherwise (Ref 5). It aimed to have its own wetland and wildlife habitat, and will help protect hundreds of homes and businesses (Ref 4).