During the greatest heat waves, extremely telling were the photos circulating on the web of people who, while waiting for the arrival of city buses and streetcars, were looking for at least a scrap of shade. Bus shelters in such a situation have the opposite effect - when heated, they make it even warmer under their roofs. Is there any way to solve this?
In Nowy Tomysl, a small city in Wielkopolska province, three ecological bus shelters were built as part of the investment "Green bus stops - a place for ecological education in Nowy Tomysl" - at Niepodległości Square, Stanisława Musiała Street and by the City Hall, on Poznańska Street. The constructions are intended not only to make waiting for the arrival of the bus more pleasant, to give a place of respite and rest in the shade, but also to influence the ecological awareness of residents - boards with information on environmental protection were placed inside, including tips on proper waste segregation and what we can do to live more ecologically.
Green stop at Niepodległości Square
© City Hall in Nowy Tomysl
Not only will they act as bus stops, but also as places where, in hot weather, one can sit for a while, relax. This is especially important for the elderly. Such green bus stops really are a showpiece of the city center," explained Włodzimierz Hibner, Mayor of Nowy Tomyśl, in the Facebook page of the Municipality of Nowy Tomyśl. - Green bus stops are, of course, being built in Poland, but for now in a handful of cities. I am glad that we are pioneers in our area and that this is not our last word. A city always looks better if it is flowered, lots of greenery, and we are betting on this," he added.
© City Hall in Nowy Tomysl
A metal support structure carrying a green roof was placed on top of the existing bus shelters. The entire structure was enclosed with horizontally laid wooden, birch planks, and the project was prepared and implemented by local carpenter Piotr Raczkowiak (Piotr Raczkowiak Usługi Ciesielsko-Stolarskie). Plants were planted not only on the roofs of the bus stops, but also on the low pots at the back of the shelters and the side platforms. The following plants were used to green and flower the shelters: in troughs on the stairs, ivy-leaved geranium and mosquito plant (coleus plectrantus); on the roof, sedum magnificent, blue fescue and Japanese clematis; and in pots behind the bus stop, Chinese miscanthus and common ivy.
green stop on Stanisława Musiała street
© Municipal Office in Nowy Tomyśl
For the implementation of the project, the Municipality of Nowy Tomyśl received funding from the Provincial Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Poznań in the amount of about PLN 75 thousand. The total cost was more than 120 thousand zlotys. The modernization of the shelters was carried out in November 2020, and the plants were planted in June this year.
This is certainly a drop in the ocean of needs - three bus shelters are not the answer to the lack of greenery in Polish cities. However, it is a small step and an encouragement for more initiatives that have a chance to make our cities a little more friendly. We look forward to more!
