The inhabitants of the blocks of flats in the area of Zamenhofa and Opata Hackiego streets in Chylonia in Gdynia can talk about a real revolution. The metamorphosis of the housing estate’s courtyard completed there has transformed the former threshing floor into a green area for rest and recreation.
The revitalisation work at the Zamenhofa-Opata Hackiego housing estate in Chylonia was divided into stages and lasted almost seven years. The process was conducted on the basis of the Municipal Revitalisation Programme of the City of Gdynia from 2017. The document is a strategy for six areas of the city where the quality of life of residents was to be improved through intervention in infrastructure.
The metamorphosis within Zamenhofa and Opata Hackiego Streets was also aimed at strengthening social ties. Building neighbourly relations, strengthening the local community and shaping a sense of connection with the immediate neighbourhood. Previously, the city tried to learn about the problems of these communities and incorporate their comments into the Revitalisation Programme.
The new recreation space can be used by residents of the nearby blocks. There are 11 residential buildings there, which were built in the 1960s. Nine of them are so-called hotel blocks, which were built for shipyard workers. Two of the blocks are multi-flats.
Residents gave an unfavourable assessment of their place of residence during the consultation, which was due to the overlap of many factors. The accumulation of social problems, the difficult housing conditions, the complete lack of development of the space between the blocks, the poor state of the road infrastructure, the lack of rainwater drainage reinforced the image of the estate as a dangerous and forgotten place on the map of the city,” we read on the gdynia.pl website.
This is what the place looked like BEFORE the metamorphosis:
The redeveloped square gained a rainwater drainage system, some of the buildings were thermo-modernised and a neighbourhood centre building was constructed – Opata Hackiego 33. We wrote more about this building HERE.
The biggest revolution can be seen in the estate’s courtyard. The nearby Zamenhofa Street was rebuilt and the road system was cleaned up. New approaches to the hotel buildings and illuminated car parks were built. Within the estate, vehicular traffic was eliminated and pedestrians were given priority. In addition, three public squares were created within the area: a square in front of the entrance to 33 Opata Hackiego St. and two squares at either end of the pedestrian precinct inside the housing estate.
The revitalisation has improved our living comfort, convenience and safety. In addition, it is beautiful. There was a desert and now there is greenery, there are playgrounds, safe roads, ” says Ewa Białk, a resident of the ZOH estate to gdynia.pl.
Gdynia’s revitalisation activities have been qualified for the finals of the international competition Regiostars organised by the European Commission. The winner will be selected by a jury during a gala to be held on 9 October in Brussels.
source: UM Gdynia
Read also: Gdynia | City | Places, Squares, Parks | Metamorphosis | Urban planning | whiteMAD on Instagram
