My small homeland, my district, the city where I live. These are the closest areas where we spend most of our lives. Do residents of any city really have a say in shaping their surroundings? What is the role of the participatory budget in Łódź?
A few words of explanation
The participatory budget is an enormous opportunity for residents of cities and towns to engage in open discussion about how public money is spent. Citizen projects demonstrate tremendous interest in this matter and creativity in developing previously neglected areas of the urban agglomeration. It is true that some voices also suggest this is merely an illusion of choice, that proposed projects are not actually implemented. We should clarify one thing here. It is not possible to implement all ideas at once. The reason is obvious: insufficient funds. This is why all city residents have the chance to express their opinion on which of the projects they find most interesting and particularly deserving of implementation. This naturally happens through voting.
Projects from recent years
For years, Łódź was perceived by some residents as Warsaw's poorer sister. Gray, sad, neglected. That was the case, but for over a decade now this situation has been changing thanks to projects from Łódź's participatory budget.
One of them concerns public transportation. It keeps coming back like a boomerang and may yet find an opportunity for implementation. It is a proposal to restore night bus services every half hour between 11 PM and 1 AM for 1.4 million PLN. The full project covering all days of the week throughout the night was estimated at over 4.3 million PLN. Unfortunately, in 2014 this proposal did not qualify for implementation. It reappeared in 2015, somewhat improved.
Another interesting idea concerned the Teofilów district. As many as 5 projects were prepared. One of them received support: "Revitalization of Piastowski Park in Teofilów". As part of it, sidewalks were replaced and an outdoor gym was created. The plan also included maintenance of green spaces and the purchase of chess tables and benches. There were also projects concerning Teofilów related to safety, such as a suggestion to increase police patrols.
The next project concerned Julianowski Park and was titled: "Julianowski Park: 21st century expansion". It concerned the area along the Sokoławka river between ul. Zgierska, Włókniarzy, Liściastą, and św. Teresy. The project envisioned developing the area for recreation including the construction of a playground in the shape of a ship (20m x 13m), a low rope park. Additionally, the installation of benches, climbing walls, the creation of a beach area, and the marking of pathways. Organizing the entire area and repairing existing infrastructure.
Particularly interesting is the project related to Bałuty. Titled "From gates and courtyards to sports fields and halls – counteracting social pathology among the youngest residents of the Bałuty district". The authors assumed the task should be implemented at sports facilities. This was dictated by the specific needs of residents. Most children in this old Łódź district come from poor families, often pathological and incomplete, threatened by social exclusion. Young people often spend nights on the street or in doorways without supervision and without food. Thus, it was proposed to organize sports activities and teach young people how to spend their free time through physical activity. Educational supervision and warm meals were also part of the plan. The proposed attraction was a picnic with the participation of rugby players and wrestlers.
An award in a nationwide competition
In 2017, one of the civic projects from Łódź won second place in a competition organized by the "Tu Mieszkam" (I Live Here) portal – "I Live Here Contest – smart ideas for a smart city". The awarded project concerned the Polesie district. "Staropolskie Neighborhood Conversations" aimed to open Primary School No. 26 to residents of the surrounding area. The task involved organizing foreign language classes for adults. Of course, this required the renovation of classrooms and the purchase of necessary audiovisual equipment as well as the renovation of a cinema hall. This project was fully implemented and was undoubtedly appreciated by residents of the district as well as by the "Tu Mieszkam" portal community.
Civic projects are an opportunity to improve quality of life and create a sense of community among residents. They awaken from lethargy and open eyes to others' needs. Łódź projects have a very broad spectrum and many of the ideas have already been implemented. Let's hope this continues.
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