Trenčín is full of skilled and perceptive people who care about culture and a pleasant life in the city. The residents of Trenčín, whom we had the opportunity to meet, brought a multitude of ideas on how to enliven the neighborhoods they move through every day.
Juh values its identity
The first meeting of Living Neighborhoods took place in the South at KC Activities. After the introductory presentation, visitors set out to explore the surroundings of the places where they looked for potential for revitalization, which they might not have even considered before. "An exhibition could be created here with information about how this housing estate was developed and about its architect, ideally in the park above Južanka," was one of the many ideas voiced.
Many of the ideas stemmed from what already existed in the South and its history. There was a strong sense of respect for the place where people live, which was confirmed by one of the last ideas for compiling a book of memories of the residents, stories, and mapping of this housing estate, which would serve as a memento for future generations.
Dlhé Hony builds on community
At the meeting in Družba, experts familiar with the area discussed various communities that have formed in the vicinity. There's a community of mothers who mainly meet at the children's playground near the Lávka café, a community of musicians and folk artists who once used the facilities of the Družba Cultural Center for rehearsals, and for example, people who have lived in the area almost their entire lives and have witnessed how the locality has changed over the years.
What united them was not only life in the given locality, but a similar view on how to revitalize the surroundings, such as introducing water features near the playground, community barbecues, or revitalizing the market with culture.
Úspech had success
During our visit to Zámostie, the residents showed us various hidden spots that the area around Úspech offers, which are often overlooked. They pointed out the problem of visual pollution, which was pervasive and made it unpleasant to stay outside.
After the outdoor activity, they came up with numerous ideas for utilizing "dead" spaces, such as the parking lot in front of the Úspech Shopping Center, where they can imagine organizing summer cinema, markets, or other cultural events: "It's a shame that there are plenty of businesses like ice cream, coffee, or kebab, but still nothing happens there. During a summer cinema, people could refresh themselves and also watch a nice movie.
Rozkvet blossomed with ideas
The fountain has been repaired, but it could be more useful for people, much like the recent updates at Námestí Slobody in Bratislava. Although the podium is new, not much happens there, and if something does, the performers lack backstage support. There is a market, but no markets are held there. People from Sihoť mainly talked about how the area could easily be revitalized thanks to the existing infrastructure.
Each courtyard offers space for interesting cultural events, even if they were "just" in the form of an exhibition of works by children from schools or kindergartens. The people from Sihoť have a clear idea of what they want and how they can use the existing resources, which is truly admirable.
However, Living Neighborhoods does not end here. After collecting suggestions from you, we plan to implement subsequent steps. We would like to realize some of your ideas together this autumn. Follow our page and social networks to make sure you don't miss anything important.
Photo: Dvaja