PROCESS OF THE PARTICIPATORY ACTION IN BRATISLAVA: URBAN WALK IN THE ZEMNÍK AREA

4. Implementing the participatory process: urban walk

An invitation to attend the urban walk was posted at the webpage of the city of Bratislava (Figure 4) and disseminated through the social web (Figure 5). The news was disseminated with the help of local media, mainly in the on-line editions of local newspapers.

The walk started in the only available access point: a parking lot situated near buffers under the river boundary bank. The asphalted path along the bank is used by cyclists and it is part of a bike path connecting three countries, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. The length of the urban walk was approximately 1.5 km (Figure 6). The route passed through the alluvial forest of Danube river, then across the river deviation near Bratislava’s district of Jarovce and finally along the Zemník’s bank.

Figure 4. City of Bratislava’s webpage and the invitation for urban walk

Figure 5. Social network – the public event

Figure 6. The route of the urban walk

There were four stops during the walk, in which experts gave explanations about the site and the project:

1. Ing. arch. Karin Lexmann, from the city’s Urban Planning department, explained the history of the area and its future use as determined in the master plan (Figure 7).
2. Ing. arch. Juraj Fecanin, from the Slovak association of canoeing, introduced the project for which they asked the building permission (Figure 8).
3. Martin Sindler, Andrej Bozik, from the Slovak anglers’ association, Bratislava V City organization, explained the history and the targets of the environmental protection measures to be applied in the area, from the anglers’ point of view (Figure 9).
4. Mgr. Andrej Kovarik, from the Slovak nature protection group, exposed the reasons to protect the area (Figure 10).
At the end of the walk, participants had an opportunity to fulfil a questionnaire about the area of Zemník answering to the following questions:

• How often do you visit the area of Zemník?
• Why do you come here, if you come regularly or occasionally?
• What type of transportation do you use to get to Zemník area?
• What do you think about the future usage of the Zemník area?
• What is your attitude to the planned development in the area of Zemník?
• How would you rate the length of the urban walk (distance)?
• How would you rate the length of the urban walk (time)?
• How would you rate the time of the urban walk (working day at 4:30 PM)?
• How did you find out about the urban walk?

Figure 7. Karin Lexmann speaks about the master during the urban walk

Figure 8.  Juraj Fecanin speaks about the development and the project of national centre of canoeing and rowing during the urban walk

Figure 9. Martin Sindler speaks about the history and the targets of the nature protection in the area from the anglers’ point of view during the urban walk

Figure 10. Andrej Kovarik speaks about nature protection in context with the development of the Zemník area during the urban walk

PROCESS OF THE PARTICIPATORY ACTION IN BRATISLAVA: URBAN WALK IN THE ZEMNÍK AREA

3. Evaluating of the inputs obtained in first sessions

The date of the urban walk was fixed for May 17, starting at 4:00 pm. The meeting would start near the access for cars. During the walk it would be explained:

• The history of the locality Zemník.
• The plans for the area according to the Master plan of Bratislava.
• The project for a national centre of canoeing and rowing and its benefits for all stakeholders.
• The nature protection measures which are needed according to the anglers’ point of view.
• The nature protection measures to be adopted overall.

PROCESS OF THE PARTICIPATORY ACTION IN BRATISLAVA: URBAN WALK IN THE ZEMNÍK AREA

2. Implementing the participatory process: first joint working sessions 

The purpose of this activity was to design a participatory process. The goal was to present the planned development of the Zemník area to all stakeholders, to foster a dialogue between them (Figures 2, 3).

The following working sessions took place at the municipality:

• 29.3.2016 meeting with Slovak anglers’ association, Bratislava V City organization: Martin Sindler, Peter Bozik, Marek Dinka, Lubica Fenclova. The date for the urban walk was agreed at this meeting: 17.5.2016, at 4:00 pm
• 6.4.2016 meeting with the developer of the project, the Slovak association of canoe sprint: Ing. arch. Juraj Fecanin, the author of the urban study, Marek Dinka, Lubica Fenclova. A history of the place, the development project and the future plans were discussed.
• Meeting with Slovak environmental protection group, regional centre in Bratislava: Mgr. Andrej Kovarik, Marek Dinka, Lubica Fenclova. The measures to protect the natural environment, including the alluvial forests around city of Bratislava, were discussed.
• 21.4.2016 examination of the site.
• 10.5.2016 urban walk rehearsal.

During these meetings, all of stakeholders had the opportunity to raise the issues which were relevant to them. They were explained on the site during the urban walk.

Figure 2. View of the Zemník area 

Figure 3. Houseboats and dwelling in the area

PROCESS OF THE PARTICIPATORY ACTION IN BRATISLAVA: URBAN WALK IN THE ZEMNÍK AREA

This participatory action was carried out by the municipality of Bratislava, Urban Planning department, from March 2016 to June 2016. The purpose of the action was to gather the views of experts, municipality, residents, general public, community associations and organizations on the development of the area. This work was carried out by a technical team from the municipality.

1. Designing a participatory process: methods and tools

Figure 1. Ing. Arch. Karin Lexmann, Ing. Arch. Beata Arvayova, Mag. rer. nat. Marek Dinka (Urban Planning department, city of Bratislava)

The aim of this first phase was to identify the groups of stakeholders in the area and analyse and specify the problems, and to organise an urban walk. This was done after a discussion between the municipality and the developer of the project for a national centre of canoeing and rowing in the area of Zemník. As author of the general city master plan, the municipality is responsible for awarding the building permissions. 

Several meetings and consultations took place involving members of the city’s Urban Planning department (Ing. arch. Karin Lexmann, Ing. arch. Beata Arvayova, Ing. arch. Lubica Fenclova, Mag. rer. nat. Marek Dinka) with the purpose of analysing the problems in the area and setting up the targets of the participatory action in agreement with the general master plan of city of Bratislava (Figure 1). 

VIDEO

VIDEO

LOCAL DISSEMINATION OF RIMINI PARTICIPATORY ACTION | CONDIVISIONE DEGLI ESITI DELL'AZIONE PARTECIPATIVA SVOLTA A RIMINI A LIVELLO LOCALE

Heriscape and OAPPCR present a leaftlet to disseminate locally the participatory action carried out in Rimini from June 2014 until March 2015.

 
Heriscape e l'Ordine degli architetti di Rimini presentano una breve brochure in italiano realizzata per diffondere gli esiti dell'attività partecipativa svolta a Rimini tra Giugno 2014 e Marzo 2015.