The Greenkeys projects

The problem of abandoned and devalued urban areas is common among many European cities. The environmental, economic and social decline, which these areas often entail, requires rapid reconsideration and improvements as the lowering of the quality of life may not only spill over to adjacent neighbourhoods, but also the area itself does not need to be relinquished.

The cities are facing difficulties in finding an adequate solution to the main problem of how to apply methods of sustainable rehabilitation to redevelop and enhance the areas in the long term.

The European Commission has started the EU Community Initiative INTERREG III B CADSES (2005-2008), which focuses on increasing the sustainability of cities by initialising the endowment of green spaces. By means of that, local residents and medium-sized enterprises would benefit immediately, but the scientific and practical experiences gained during the projects are equally important as they will promote transnational cooperation in Europe and bring about further projects.

The key question posed by the GreenKeys project is: What are the tools and methods necessary for increasing the sustainability of urban areas by adding green spaces, given the fact that ecological, social and economical conditions are often mutually dependent?
Greenkeys focuses on the improvement of urban green spaces as a step towards more sustainable cities. The three main objectives are

  1. to provide incentives for structural changes in cities by offering opportunities for the enhancement of green spaces. Its 12 partner cities will, together with local stakeholders, develop a strategic approach for the pilot projects to create new or upgrade existing green areas to achieve more accessibility, social and recreational values and ecological efficiency. By the involvement of local activists, the political attention to the benefits of green spaces to urban environments will be increased. GreenKeys will support the implementation/evaluation of pilot projects in order
  2. to develop a “Pool of Green Strategies” (instruments, methods, concepts and good examples) based on the experiences being made to meet the demands of future needs and
  3. to use the synergies to promote the transfer of knowledge by a transnational network and, thus, foster the exchange of the particular national experiences.

In pursuing these goals, GreenKeys brings together 12 cities in 7 countries, 8 scientific supporters, external experts, design studios and NGOs, which participate through their own networks.

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Study tours

Sofia has more than 2.800 different green spaces. To take the participants into the context of Sofia’s potential and challenges for developing urban green spaces two study tours were offered during the conference. The study tours enabled the conference participants to understand the cities structures and visit some of Sofia’s most important green spaces. 
The participants could attend one of the  two study tours: Tour A “Urban green spaces in city centre” & Tour B “Neighbourhood MLADOST”– for more detailed information please also download PDF form the download section.
 

Study tour A - Urban Green Spaces in city centre

City park "Oborishte"
 
  The park “Oborishte” was created in 1953 – 1955 on the territory of former military outfits. Its total area is 13 ha. It is placed in a residential district in the center of the capital. In this park is situated the building of the theatre “Sofia”. The park is arranged and set up as an undivided composition – it has its central part, formed with water areas, fountains and floral figures. There are a lot of children playgrounds, so it’s one of the favourite places for people with children in the city centre. But also it is an appropriate place for people of all other ages. The park is utilized very actively by the residents of the adjoining neighborhoods, as well as by bicyclists from distant districts. That’s why its importance is not only local, but for the whole city.
Map: "Oborishte" and  "Doctor's Garden"
City park "Oborishte"

Garden "Doctor's Monument"

  The garden was constructed in 1889, and in 1990 was granted to the Sofia University “St. Kliment Okhridski” for arranging a botanical spot. For that reason here is created and kept a comparatively big part of the richest collection of plants in the capital.
Later the garden was reconstructed a couple of times and since 1936 was given back for being managed by the Municipality of Sofia and represents now a local garden. 
Google-Earth view
Garden "Doctor's Monument"

study tour B - neighbourhood Mladost

Local park "Mladost - 3"
 
 The district “Mladost” is one of the biggest in the Municipality of Sofia and has a size of about 1.700 ha. The total number of inhabitants is about 120.000. There are 16 schools, 16 childcare centers, 2 local health centers, a regional hospital and other public institutions. The green areas in the district are 312 ha or 18,35% of the territory of the district (approximately 30,00 m2/ resident). The "Mladost" district has 4 local parks and one of them is the park “Mladost – 3”, where the pilot project of the Municipality of Sofia upon the GreenKeys project is accomplished. The total territory of the park “Mladost – 3” is 5,04 ha.
Map "Neighbourhood Mladost"
 "Mladost"