Enabling opportunities for physical activity

This is a project of regeneration of an abandoned small garden in the centre of Napoli, with the plantation of plants typical of the Mediterranean area. The new 400 sqm garden was developed by the Servizio Arredo Urbano of the city of Napoli. The regeneration process was persistently asked by the citizens of the surrounding area which were looking for an improvement of the area. In addition, the garden hosts a new playground for kids, and by consequence, it is considered a new spot for recreational activities. (Ref.1.)

The redevelopment of the Alcantara square is part of the program A SQUARE IN EACH NEIGHBOURHOOD, implemented by the Municipality of Lisbon in 2017 onward. Besides the road re-organization, the project includes specific elements. The NBS includes the creation of a public garden, cycling path, playground facilities and introduction of new trees (Ref.1). The residents of the neighbourhood were asked to participate. The participation process aimed at obtaining from the citizens an evaluation on different pertinent questions in the experience of the public space, results showed: space for pedestrians, improve green spaces and urban living (Ref.1).

"This disctrict of "Plateau de Haye" is part of the EcoQuartier approach, is one of the most ambitious urban renewal projects. In line with the development of the New Urban Renewal Program, work was carried out this year [2012] on the challenges of opening up territory to its urban and forestry environment in order to confirm the "Forest City" approach initiated by the architect-town planner Alexandre Chemetoff" (Ref. 1). It received the EcoQuartier National Grand Prize (Ref. 2). A forest, community gardens and a green corridor are being developed with a rainwater recovery system (Ref. 2). Work is set to continue until 2024 (Ref. 10). "It will first allow work to be done on the functionalities of the district : development of spaces freed up by the demolition of the Blanc Sycamore and the Purple Beech, reconversion of the Tamaris and Ombelles into housing, shops and spaces dedicated to companies, creation of green spaces , shared gardens and parking" (Ref. 10).

Park Sainte-Marie is the second largest park in Nancy (Ref. 8). "The park Sainte-Marie hides varieties of splendid oaks and many other rare plants. It also hosts that annual "Nature in Festivities" event in the first weekend of May which represents the largest plant market in the region (Ref. 2). "This park was awarded the "Tourism and Handicap" labels in 2007 and "Outstanding Garden" in 2010" (Ref. 1). "An old Alsatian House , created for the International Exhibition of the East of France in 1909" is conserved within the park (Ref. 8).

An ephemeral garden has been set up in Stanislas Square each year since embellishment and pedestrianization works took place in 2005 (Ref. 2). The Parks and Gardens Department of the City of Nancy works around a topical theme, unveiled at the beginning of the summer: such as travel, history, or technology. The city imagines flowerbeds which cover up the square, with flowers and poetry. It is intended to offer visitors a new perspective on the square (Ref. 2). In 2015, the project's theme was "Connected Garden" combining technology and nature (Ref. 3).

A project of 200 plots for an urban orchard on-site at Parque de las Aguas was created, where individual citizens, social groups, and companies can rent the lots to cultivate their own produce. The orchards hold educational programming for patrons and visitors as well. (Ref. 1,2,4)

In 2017 the municipality of Lisbon approved the program called "A Square in each neighbourhood". The municipality was seeking to revamp different neighbourhoods' green areas with the help of the citizens and collect contributions from the population most directly linked to the intervention sites. In this context the redevelopment of Campolide Street was based on the need to create better pedestrian accessibility in the detriment of traffic, improving the circulation of elderly in wheelchairs and children, the creation of a playground and the increase of green areas by planting more trees and create an element of water (Ref. 1).

Bercsényi grove, a large public park, was rehabilitated and functionally extended as part of the socially sensitive urban regeneration project of Győr-Újváros, a stigmatized, relatively underdeveloped area (Ref. 1, 3). The area of the park is divided into three main parts, 1. a recreational park including playgrounds, 2. a sports park and 3. a "traffic park" where children can learn interactively learn the rules of the road in a playful way. Although the project was mainly aimed at creating a place for active recreation, the intervention included the rehabilitation of the green areas and the plantation of several tree lines (Ref. 4). As a result, the area could become a popular meeting point for different generations.

The North Green Belt was developed and built up in connection to investments and structures for the 2008 Expo. (Ref. 1,2) The North Green Belt is a series of connections extending the green corridor and network of green spaces in Zaragoza, with the Ebro and Gallego rivers as the two main axes of the belt. (Ref. 1,2)

Heeley City Farm came into existence in the middle of 1981 (ref 3). It is a community-based and led training, employment and youth enterprise (ref 1) and a much needed green space in the inner suburban Sheffield with recycling, healthy living facilities, a garden centre, cafe, and charity shop. Heeley City Farm also manages food growing projects across Sheffield. (Ref 3) The Farm addresses poverty, inequality, prejudice and lack of opportunity by supporting community regeneration and self-help within environmentally friendly and self-sustaining systems, using the background of a mini-farm, community gardens and related resources. (Ref1)