Dąbrowa Górnicza is becoming a "Full of Life" city, as the names of the next local investments assure. After public consultations and expert work, the Full of Life Factory[info] is being built on the site of the former "Defum" machine tool factory, and one of Dąbrowa Górnicza's parks will change thanks to the initiative of residents.
Podlesie Park in Dąbrowa Górnicza was created in the 1970s, and although the plan for a recreationand leisure park was not realized in its entirety, residents still recall concerts, dances and football competitions taking place there. Despite the fact that most of the original equipment is now in a very poor state of repair, the park on Tysiąclecia Street is an important space for Dąbrowski residents, so much so that in last year's Civic Budget the residents selected the city-wide project "Podlesie Full of Life" for implementation.
The project was divided into two stages - first, public consultations and workshops were held, which resulted in the development of general guidelines for the development of a large forested area from the former sports shooting range to Laski and Mysliwska Streets, as well as detailed guidelines for Podlesie Park, then, together with residents, designers prepared a concept for the development of the park and its functional-utilityprogram. The study was prepared by a team from A2P2 architecture & planning studio in cooperation with landscape architect Ewa Potapow.
Dąbrowa Górnicza residents during consultations and workshops
© A2P2 architecture & planning
The participatory process consisted of direct interviews with residents at consultation points, design workshops and online consultations. The latter followed restrictions imposed across the country in connection with the Covid-19pandemic. The ban on gatherings made it impossible to hold the workshops in the classic format, so it was decided to hold the online consultation in the form of a livestream on social media, where everyone watching had the opportunity to comment and ask questions in real time. It was probably the first public consultation conducted online in Poland," write designers from A2P2 studio.
The new Podlesie park will be divided into seven functional zones: the entrance zone, where park service facilities will be located: restrooms, parking for bicycles and cars, and a bicycle repair station; a green clearing with a stage - a platform designed for both larger events and intimate performances; an educational path - a space for whole families to learn about the flora and fauna of the surrounding forests; a play zone withclimbing elements for children, wooden logs, slides and swings; a relaxation zone designed for people looking for a space to relax in the park; a sports zone consisting of volleyball, basketball and table tennis courts; and a forest zone - a buffer between the park and the forest.
park development concept
© A2P2 architecture & planning
The main idea of the Podlesie park development concept was to maintain its natural and forest character as a place for safe rest and play among the trees. The designers proposed a new, freer layout of paths with mineral paving. The new landscaping elements were unified, simplified and color-matched to compete as little as possible with the surrounding greenery. A priority in the new park concept was the preservation of existing trees, and for the new plantings native species were chosen to relate as much as possible to the clusters of vegetation found in nature.
The vision for the development of the forest area prepared by the designers, as well as the development concept for the Podlesie park, the cost estimate and the functional-utilityprogram, will be the basis for announcing a tender for the implementation of the park development concept, which may already be open to residents next year.
