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Description
Pruszcz Gdański (Pomorskie Voivodeship) is a city that grows its population every year, and with the population growth comes the increasing number of cars. There is a limited number of parking spots and as a result, people have been parking in spaces that were not designated for cars. Simultaneously, there are no regulations capping the number of cars in the downtown area, or any initiatives promoting public transportation. Our research and conversations with the citizens have shown that there is a need for more attractive public spaces for recreation, meetings, or enjoying nature. Our observations suggest that the challenge remains engaging local government and the citizens in active design of the urban projects and public space utilization. Consultations with the community are often held without previous analysis of its needs, often during the business hours of the municipal office and on already completed projects. We will address these challenges by completing a diagnosis of the needs expressed by the citizens of Pruszcz Gdański and evaluating already existing public spaces within the city, and any initiatives and activities they may be hosting. We will conduct workshops where, together with members of the community interested in the matter, we will design a concept for public space development for a chosen neighborhood. The changes included in the development plan will encompass reorganizing parking spaces, traffic organization, and introduction of “urban furniture.” After consultations with the City Hall, the plan will be introduced temporarily as a test. We will conduct street surveys asking citizens what are their thoughts about the proposed changes. Finally, we will create a report and a list of recommendations for existing urban development plans and pass those along to the City Hall.
Summary of project results
Pruszcz Gdański (Pomorskie Voivodeship) is a city that grows its population every year, and with the population growth comes the increasing number of cars. There is a limited number of parking spots and as a result, people have been parking in spaces that were not designated for cars. Simultaneously, there are no regulations capping the number of cars in the downtown area, or any initiatives promoting public transportation. Our research and conversations with the citizens have shown that there is a need for more attractive public spaces for recreation, meetings, or enjoying nature. Our observations suggest that the challenge remains engaging local government and the citizens in active design of the urban projects and public space utilization. Consultations with the community are often held without previous analysis of its needs, often during the business hours of the municipal office and on already completed projects.
As part of the project, we tackled these challenges.
The first stage of the project was to carry out extensive research into the operation of Short Street, including interviews, traffic volume analysis and parking availability. We carried out these surveys at various points in time, taking into account both weekdays and market days, in order to get a complete picture of the street situation.
The next step was to organise a design workshop attended by residents, representatives of community organisations and local authorities. This workshop was aimed at collecting proposals and ideas for changes to the public space and involving participants in the decision-making process. On the basis of the collected data and proposals, a traffic organisation change project was developed, taking into account the needs of the residents and the requirements of the experts.
Communication and promotion of the project took place through various channels, including websites and social media. A wrap-up conference was also an important part of the project, where we presented information about the project and summarised the activities to date. Participants at the conference had the opportunity to present their opinions and proposals, with the aim of further involving the local community in the project process.
In addition, the project envisaged workshop sessions based on mock-up work to replace the prototyping of changes to the space, ensuring that participants were actively involved in the decision-making process.
The recipients of our activities were the inhabitants of Pruszcz Gdański, representatives of social organisations, local authorities (including the City Hall), the Police, the Municipal Police and other entities responsible for making the project a reality.
In addition to the public space development project, participants learned about the diagnosis and research reports on the quality of public spaces in Pruszcz Gdański. In addition, we developed documentation of the process of prototyping and testing a selected public space and guidelines for conducting public consultations in the city, using the participatory planning method. Through conferences and other communication activities, the project initiated a debate on the state and functioning of public spaces in the city and helped raise public awareness of civic participation in decision-making processes concerning the city.
The impact of the project was noticeable on several levels. Firstly, the involvement of residents in the decision-making process concerning public space contributed to an increased sense of empowerment and civic engagement in the local community. Secondly, the project provided new knowledge and competences to residents regarding participation in consultation and planning processes. Thirdly, the project has initiated a debate on urban mobility policy and influenced residents'' awareness of how public spaces can be developed in a participatory way. As a result, residents are more aware and ready to actively participate in future projects concerning the city.