If there were a counter in Poland indicating the time since the delivery of the next "revitalized" concrete square, we would reset it every week at most. Despite the constant publicizing of the problem, drawing attention to the anti-people nature of such projects, they continue to be built and implemented. Lezajsk is no exception.
another concrete massacre
Lezajsk is a small city located in the Subcarpathian province. It hasn't been off the lips of all of Poland for several days because of the unfortunate "revitalization" of the market square. The competition was announced back in 2016, but was not particularly popular with architects, landscape architects and urban planners, since officials received only three bids. The concept created by the FORMAT studio from Kielce won.
before revitalization
In 2019, the mayor of Lizhensk, Ireneusz Stefanski, announced changes to be made to the city's most important square.
The greenery on the main board should emphasize the geometric layout of the square by planting low-hanging deciduous trees along the southern, western and northern frontages, while eliminating isolating greenery of the "vertical gardens" type, Leżajsk mayor Ireneusz Stefański indicated.
after revitalization
how has the Lezajsk market changed?
First of all, the greenery in one part of the market has been fully eliminated in favor of a fountain sunk in a concrete desert. It is true that a few trees can be found here, but they are small specimens additionally fully concreted, with a small biologically active part. It's hard not to notice how far the market space has changed. The main reason for such radical changes, according to officials, was to restore the old shape. The project has been approved by the National Heritage Institute and the Provincial Office for Historic Preservation.
[Correction of article dated 08.07.2022 - in connection with the response of the National Heritage Institute, I would like to communicate that the NID as an institution did not approve the project, and did not issue an expert advisory opinion. In 2017, the staff of the Field Branch of NID in Rzeszow participated in a working meeting with the mayor of Lezajsk, where they pointed out numerous corrections, including in the area of greenery. At the same time, the institution itself continues to point out the need to talk about the phenomenon of concretions - author of the article, Wiktor Bochenek]
As you can see, the assurances of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and former General Conservator of Monuments Magdalena Gawin about the fight against concretosis were of little use. Even more interesting is the fact that NID as an institution a few years ago created the "Landscape of my city" project, in which it strongly warned against concreting cities. As you can see, the science has gone into the forest, as this is the closest we can get to admiring trees in Poland.
before and after
tree your enemy!
More interesting than the sick phenomenon of concreting itself is the argumentation of the deputy mayor of Lezajsk, Andrzej Janas, published in the city newsletter. In addition to the recurring issue of restoring the old shape, there is the question of the genesis of the vegetation.
Well, just such a showpiece of the city, which was twisted by politics in the 1960s, and the Lezajsk market square, which had served as a market square for hundreds of years, was turned into a substitute for a park. The idea was (according to a secret instruction) to take away the space for troublemakers of all kinds to cause social unrest: as we all know, it's more difficult to cause trouble among trees. In Lezhajsk exactly this idea worked, and in fact in other Galician towns likewise," indicated deputy mayor Andrzej Janas in a text for the city newsletter.
In this combination, the greenery becomes not only an unnecessary addition, a substitute for a park, but also an example of the communist apparatus of oppression, which, however, is rarely found in justifications for concreting any green space. Officials of the municipality of Lezhaisk can freely stretch their breasts to receive a medal for the vetting they have carried out, in this case of trees.
Today's mischief of some and the accompanying retching of others - will pass. What will remain will be what is permanent," concludes Andrzej Janas in his article in the city newsletter on an optimistic note.
Leżajsk market revitalization project
© PA Format
concrete cancer
The market in Lezajsk is ultimately intended to serve the events that will take place on its slab. One is left to ask whether, apart from occasional concerts, fairs and events, anything will happen there other than the moment when nervous residents come with a frying pan to prepare scrambled eggs on the slab?
Even if the investment and the project (2016/2017) precede the moment when the discussion in Poland about betonosis begins, for example, one can admit one's mistake or try to correct it. Is it really necessary to pretend that everything is fine when in reality it is not?
Leżajsk joins the ranks of more cities like Zakliczyn and Cieszyn (where concreteness is debatable). It's hard to sleep in a country where we keep talking about concretization, and then we get up and read news stories about yet another successful completion of "revitalization."
Leżajsk market revitalization project
© Format
