Sports areas and equipment

The intervention included the renovation of lake Jarun and its surrounded park and recreational centre. Efforts were made to improve the amenities at the lake and park in order to bring it closer to the citizens, particularly to disadvantaged groups. It provides facilities for walking, bicycling, various outdoor sports, trim-track of 6500 meters of length, roller skating, etc. Sports facilities are related to an impressive 2250 meters long regatta path where international and world rowing, canoe and kayak contests are held. With daily training and performances, they give Jarun a special, sporting atmosphere (Ref 1, 2, 3, 4).

Lake Rusalka is one of the key elements of Kasprowicz Park, which is a popular recreational area in Szczecin. The shoreline between the Summer Theater and the Japanese Bridge is an attractive stroll. The project aims to improve the functionality, attractiveness and aesthetic value of the coastline and an island on the lake. It envisions going back to the historical tradition of the boats rental as well as includes plans for the revitalization of the part of the shoreline, creation of the Japanese gazebo on the island and construction of mooring berth [1]. In 2020, the project was still on the waiting list in the city’s participatory budget distribution. Local authorities expect its implementation to take place by 2022, the earliest [6].

Before the intervention, the dam was a derelict former industrial and recreational area. (Reference 6) It was transformed into a green recreational park of the southern part of Budapest. 40,000 square metres of grass was laid, 700 trees, 20,000 shrubs and 20,000 perennials were planted. (Reference 4) The park now is a home to a biodiverse population of wild birds. It is one of the few places of the city that have direct connection to the Danube, giving space for strolling, doing sport, playing and relaxing. In 2018, a large-scale development began next to the dam, with the aim of creating a new city center. This would make the park a place for leisure for much greater number of people, but may be detrimental to the ecosystem of the dam. (Reference 6)

The initiative aims to ensure open access to the river Regalica for the local community and to create a multifunctional recreational area there. Given current spatial development plans, the chosen location is the only feasible solution to facilitate public access to the river. The project will address multiple NBS domains as its plans include: building new water stand, fishing place, and an observation deck, developing an ecological and educational path along the riverside, developing recreational spaces for the community including outdoor and cultural activities. The project relates to the long-term brand strategy of the city: ‘Szczecin floating garden 2050’[1]. The architectural plan was accepted and put forward for the implementation in 2019; currently, in July 2020, the project is still in the planning phase [4].

The project refers to the development of a vacant plot to create a social garden. Activities and plans implemented included: planting greenery, creating flower meadows and flowerbeds, common flowers planting by citizens, common vegetable growing area and a greenhouse, recreational area (hammock, trampolines, field games, sun loungers and sofas for recreation), cultural zone (outdoor cinema, exhibition space), workshop area (for artistic, ecological and sports workshops), canteen area (open-air kitchen, outdoor bar, communal dining space). The garden was open for the public between 2016 and 2018.(1)(4)

With its parking areas, ponds, the Lutter stream, playground facilities, walking and jogging paths, the green corridor of Bielefeld, called Luttergrünzug offers recreation opportunity to around 36, 000 people, living in the surrounding areas. As a link between the eastern city center and the district of Heepen, it also enables walking and cycling routes for commuting and shopping away from the busy streets of the city (7). However, the green corridor has been showing some structural and functional defects such as the silting up of the ponds, conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists and the increasing overgrowth of the green belt (8). In order to solve these problems, the renovation and redesign of the Green Corridor was proposed. The regeneration project addresses different needs and requirements of the municipality, namely providing the comfortable infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, and the increase of attractiveness of the neighbouring residential areas. In the planning process, special attention was paid to the improvement of the draining system and the reservoirs of the area that will protect the Belt from flooding. (8)

Two regeneration plans were developed with citizens' involvement and presented to the political committee. In 2017, the implementation of the "smaller" variant was voted for, which was already presented in the first citizens' workshop (1, 4).

The first stage of the investment: Building an urban park in the city area where there is a lack of green recreational spaces for the citizens. The park is to be built on the undeveloped ground. The initiative involves cleaning the area, planting greenery, purification and regulation of the watercourse Warszowiec and building stone stream edges, building the bike and running paths, 2 playgrounds for various age groups, open-air gym, and a multifunctional field for basketball, volleyball, tennis and table tennis (planned). The project is supplemented with the so-called small architecture including benches, rubbish bins, bicycle racks, tables and bowers [1,2]. The second stage: executing the planned multifunctional sports field and building a so-called physical activity square with a wooden platform, wooden pergola by the stream. A fence around the playground is built and new lighting and monitoring systems introduced. The second stage assumes management and maintenance of the green areas too [5,6].

Revitalization of the Brodowski Pond and its surroundings that include: revitalization of the pond itself, modernization of the viewpoints, building alleys, new lighting system, senior corner, playground, gym, greenery, recreational areas and a dog run. The justification for the project emphasizes revitalization of the area, improving its functionality and usefulness as well as aesthetics while preserving the terrain and raising the importance of the pond as a public space of a city of particular aesthetic values. (1)(2)

The Svoradova small park is an NBS site of the Bratislava zelenaj project. The newly renovated park (once part of the historical Pálffy Garden) on Svoradova Street in Old Town was previously abandoned and neglected. (14) It is part of the citywide Bratislava zelenaj project aimed at protecting and promoting the welfare of the city’s vulnerable citizens from the effects of climate change, (1) providing a safe recreational space for children (with a small playground for playing and swings). The park also has new lighting, and the whole space is home to new flowers, bridges and trees. (10, 12, 18)

The Rákos-patak Green Corridor is a large-scale development project aimed at revitalizing the environment of the Rákos Stream on a 23 kilometre long path from it's areas in the outskirts of Budapest to the city center. The most important element of the development project is the planned bicycle lane, which would connect the already existing bicycle lanes along the stream into a full 23 kilometre one. In some areas of the planned corridor, other developments will happen with the goal of preserving and restoring habitats which originally existed in the area before it was first regulated. Near the outer areas of the stream, afforestation will also take place. (Reference 9) The area of the stream is currently underdeveloped. According to the plans, the new green corridor could help decrease urban stress.