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Description
The history of the railway roundhouse in Katowice is not much shorter than that of Katowice itself – an industrial city whose development was made possible by the railway and its infrastructure. The roundhouse is also located at the junction of two of the city''s most socially difficult environments: downtown and the Załęże district. Its revitalisation is therefore an opportunity not only to preserve the city''s cultural heritage, but above all to improve the quality of the residents'' lives. This is why, as part of the project, we are conducting public consultations on the new functions of the railway roundhouse and carrying out advocacy to help revitalise it. We want to persuade the local authorities to save this historic building and make it a friendly place to residents. As part of the project, we are also promoting Katowice''s industrial heritage, which we see as the city''s development potential.
Summary of project results
The history of the Katowice Locomotive Shed, like the history of Katowice, was closely related to the development of industry made possible by the railway. The locomotive depot is located on the border of two difficult districts: Załęże and Śródmieście. Its revitalization would mean not only preserving the heritage, but also a chance to improve the quality of life of residents. In January 2021, it turned out that PKP had waived the protection of the Locomotive Shed, thus allowing access to it to scrap metal dealers and homeless people. Thanks to the initiative of Bona Fides and SODIKOZ and the intervention of the Provincial Conservator of Monuments, the facility gained protection in December 2021. At the same time, PKP declared its willingness to hand over the building to the local government, but the City and the Marshal did not take any action, expecting specific development proposals in line with the needs of local residents. The locomotive shed, as a neglected monument, is located in districts struggling with social problems and crime. Załęże lacks places of culture and sports that young people and seniors could use. In line with the European Strategy for the Promotion of Industrial Heritage, the preservation and reuse of such places supports the development of cities. Nikiszowiec was an example of a district that, thanks to revitalization and tourist promotion, gained a new identity and improved the quality of life of its residents. The Załęże Roundhouse could offer a similar opportunity, provided that residents actively participated in planning its future.
As part of the project, we carried out three study visits to Vitkowice, the Technology Museum in Berlin and the Nowe Gliwice facility, in which a total of 21 people participated. We analyzed the archives of the City of Katowice, digitizing historical drawings of the locomotive shed. 250 people took part in public consultations, and their results were collected in a report and a film that was watched by nearly 10,000 people. A major achievement was the establishment of cooperation with the Silesian University of Technology, as a result of which students began designing the adaptation of multi-functional facilities, culminating in an exhibition of their works in March. We carried out regular monitoring of the facility, including an external inspection and a validation survey. Five focus meetings were held: with the Council of the Załęże auxiliary unit, seniors, railway experts, residents of Załęże in cooperation with the Zielone Załęże Association and the Municipal Public Library No. 3, and architects. A workshop was organized summarizing public consultations and workshops with students regarding technical design requirements in railway areas. As part of the project, a Facebook profile (facebook.com/people/PAROwozownia-KATOwice/100088075636924/), a website (parokato.wordpress.com) and an Instagram profile (@parokato_nowezycie) were created. Additionally, a consultation report and a film about railway heritage were prepared. Letters were sent to the Voivode, the Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship, the Mayor of Katowice, the National Heritage Institute and other institutions to draw attention to the condition of the locomotive shed and the need for its modernization in the context of the railway junction.
The project provided many valuable resources for further efforts to revitalize the roundhouse and surrounding neighborhoods. It exceeded our expectations in terms of impact on over 100 students and lecturers, who will remember this process for a long time and it will influence their approach to revitalization. Analyzes of local strategies confirmed the validity of the project assumptions. In the context of the development of the Załęże and Śródmieście districts, the revitalized locomotive shed may become an important element of the urban ecosystem. The results of the consultations brought interesting conclusions - the study participants indicated that the locomotive shed could serve as an additional city center and constitute the axis of the development of Śródmieście, supporting the development of socio-cultural functions. The direct recipients of the project were primarily the inhabitants of Katowice, especially Załęże and Śródmieście, including seniors, former railway workers, children and young people. Thanks to the project activities, they gained the opportunity to activate and present their own ideas in cooperation with experts, non-governmental organizations and enthusiasts of the history of Katowice. Indirect recipients were also local and central authorities, public institutions, as well as potential investors, who constitute key groups in the consultative and advocacy activities of the project.