A few days ago, a meeting was held on the possible restoration of a section of the Old Bydgoszcz Canal between the Grunwaldzki roundabout and Grottgera Street. The section was backfilled in the 1970s and recently there have been increasing ideas to restore it. The event, entitled ‘Bydgoszcz Canal – Hidden Potential. How can uncovering a fragment of the canal change the city space?” was organised at the Bydgoszcz Canal Museum, which was one of the partners. A reconstruction concept developed by architect Pawel Mrozek working with the Bydgoszcz Urban Movement was presented there. The project presents a new vision for an area that currently serves as a route for cars. The study proposes to create a green recreational route connected to the water system.
The Bydgoszcz Canal revisited – design guidelines
The concept envisages the restoration of the Bydgoszcz Canal along Focha Street on the section between the Grunwaldzki roundabout and the mouth to the Brda at Grottgera Street. The canal would run in place of the northern carriageway, and vehicular traffic would be routed two-way on the southern side. The north-south capacity of the roundabout would remain unchanged. East-west traffic would be diverted to other routes, including an extended WZ route. This solution is part of the city’s larger plans for traffic calming on Focha Street. The project also includes a new track running from the roundabout towards Szubinska Street.
The new course of the canal would correspond to the historical layout before the early 19th century modernisation. The inspiration comes from foreign projects, where similar investments have improved environmental conditions and the daily comfort of residents. In Bydgoszcz, the result would be an increase in the area’s recreational attractiveness and a boost for the local economy and tourism sector. The Bydgoszcz City Movement points out that in the coming years, new sources of funding for such projects may appear in European and national programmes on climate change adaptation and the development of green and water infrastructure.
“With this project, the city can make money. The liberated space will generate economic activity and revenue in taxes,” – argued Paweł Mrozek.
Utrecht’s canals a model for Bydgoszcz
Ben Nijssen from Utrecht, who has been involved in efforts to restore the buried canals in his city, was a guest at the event. Utrecht and Bydgoszcz are similar in size and have a long history associated with the water network. In the 1970s in both cities, parts of the canals were removed to facilitate traffic. In Utrecht, years later, it was decided to reverse this process. The result is today’s layout, where transit traffic bypasses the centre and the restored canal has become a popular meeting place.
Vice-chairman of the Bydgoszcz Urban Movement Pawel Piatkowski indicated that a similar course of action is possible in Bydgoszcz. “We want to achieve a similar goal in Bydgoszcz. Funding for the project can be sought from European and national programmes for climate change adaptation and the construction of green and blue infrastructure.”
Bydgoszcz Canal – about challenges and opportunities
During the conference, a debate was organised with representatives of the architectural community, municipal entities and universities. Among them were Anna Pawlicka Zabojszcz, Anna Rembowicz Dziekciowska, Wojciech Nalazek, Ada Nawrocka and Tomasz Izajasz. The panellists agreed that the restoration of the canal could become an important element of future activities in the city. Planning, communication and financial issues were raised that will need to be worked out.
Partners of the event ‘The Bydgoszcz Canal – Hidden Potential. How can the unveiling of a section of the canal change the city space?”
The conference was organised by the Bydgoszcz Urban Movement association. Partners were the Bydgoszcz Canal Museum, the Association of Polish Architects Bydgoszcz Branch, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Inland Waterways International, the Bydgoszcz City Lovers Association and the Bocianowo Śródmieście Stare Miasto Estate Council.
Source: Bydgoszcz Urban Movement
Read also: Architecture in Poland | Metamorphosis | Squares, Squares, Parks | Ecology | Monument | Bydgoszcz
The neighbourhood now and after the planned modernisation. Photo: Google Maps and Bydgoszcz Urban Movement
