Third consecutive co-creation meeting, related to the transformation of neighborhoods and the inclusion of citizens in their regeneration

Meetings with citizens, dedicated to co-designing neighbourhood regenearation, including both their active participation and the presence and commitment of the relevant local authorities, continue. The main goal of the meetings is to promote inclusive and sustainable transformation of the urban environment.

The two meetings held so far - one in December, the second in March - brought together citizens, representatives of the Trakia district administration, experts from the Мunicipality of Plovdiv and the Energy Agency of Plovdiv. During the meetings, the residents from the Trakia district who were present and involved in the topic shared their vision towards sustainable urban transformation, while at the same time giving ideas for а modernizаtion of the public spaces, surrounding their buildings. The proposals were in the context of strengthening environmentally friendly solutions for improving the urban environment.

The seminars focused both on the ideas’ generation and their implementation. Examples from European cities for neighborhood regeneration and creation of sustainable living environment were presented to the interested citizens. Among them were opportunities for landscaping inter-block spaces and schoolyards; creating vegetable gardens in communal spaces; implementing measures such as restricting vehicle access and reducing speed limits; installing photovoltaic panels in public and residential buildings - a sustainable way to reduce energy bills; placing solar benches with autonomous solar power, lighting and slots for charging mobile devices.

The sought goal by the municipal experts and the Energy Agency of Plovdiv representatives is to encourage citizens’ thinking towards providing innovative solutions for sustainable urban transformation of the Trakia district, which was actually implemented. The shared ideas included the improvement of inter-block spaces and afforestation with different kinds of trees and shrubs in adjacent park areas. For some of the ideas, the municipal experts achieved a successful outcome for their implementation, which proves the usefulness of initiating and deepening this mutual communication.

The meeting on June 11 was dedicated to the topic of energy communities and the possibilities for their establishment and functioning at local level. Experts from the Energy Agency of Plovdiv introduced the attending citizens to the established and working business models of energy communities in the municipalities of Gabrovo and Burgas, as well as good practices from other European countries. The representatives of the municipal administration from the Trakia district and the citizens were intrigued by the presented opportunity - citizens to be in the role of producers of renewable energy and the municipality in the role of a long-term consumer of electricity and heat at fixed prices.

                        Photo credit: Energy Agency of Plovdiv

A common intention was expressed that all represented parties during the meeting would begin to think about suitable areas / buildings for the implementation of such an initiative on the territory of the Trakia district. Meetings and discussions on the topic will continue with the representatives of the Energy Agency of Plovdiv and municipal experts.

Source:

Energy Agency of Plovdiv

Municipality of Plovdiv

Trakia District Administration