Iasi , Iaşi (FUA), Romania
City population: 342738
Duration: in planning stage – ongoing
Implementation status: In planning stage
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: 45000 m2
Type of area: Other
Last updated: October 2024

The last large-scale park in Iași was opened in 1923, and since then, the city has lacked any significant new green spaces. With the European Union recommending at least 26 square meters of green space per resident and the city's increasing urban density, the need for a new park is undeniable. To address this, the Municipality of Iași is launching its first major park project in over a century. The project aims to transform the current CTP depot (tram station) into a 4.5-hectare, accessible green space in a densely populated area with strong development potential. This new park is envisioned as a green oasis that will enhance residents' quality of life while promoting environmental sustainability and urban renewal. The initiative has received widespread public support, with citizens proposing the creation of a local museum to honor the tram station’s historical significance—one of the oldest in the city, with over 100 years of history. A consultation process has been established, involving local residents, NGOs, and a group of experts, including urban planners, architects, and mobility and environment officials, all contributing to the planning stage. Public suggestions for the park include underground parking, recreational and exercise facilities, and a diverse range of vegetation. Ensuring accessibility for all citizens and visitors is also a key priority in the park's design. The municipality has allocated 300,000 euros for a solutions contest to finalize the approach to redeveloping the tram station. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9)

Planning of the area where green space would be allocated
Planning of the area where green space would be allocated
https://www.primaria-iasi.ro/dm_iasi/portal.nsf/pagini/proiect+regenerare+urbana+si+peisagistica+zona+depou+ctp-0003A232#pf7

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests

Key challenges

  • Environmental quality
  • Air quality improvement
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Regeneration, land-use and urban development
  • Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
  • Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
  • Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
  • Inclusive governance
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Social justice and equity

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

  • Environmental Degradation
  • Air pollution
  • Land use and Socio-economic change
  • Unequal availability and access to public green spaces
  • Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
  • Inadequate access to recreational opportunities

Key priorities

Social Justice and community

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Creation of large parks and urban and peri-urban forests, Transformation of previously derelict areas, Brownfield redevelopment, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Establishment of inclusive governance mechanisms involving local communities

Project objectives

To transform an old tram station into a new green space and park To preserve the historical infrastructure of the tram station. To fulfill the urban redevelopment needs of citizens democratically and equitably by involving them in the planning stages through consultations, ensuring better access to green spaces, and improving overall livability. To provide spaces for relaxation, recreation, artistic creation, educational opportunities To create an "ecological" central point of transportation for the city. To meet European standards for green space per inhabitant. To improve the quality of life for residents. To provide sustainable modes of transport and infrastructure aimed at reducing pollution. (3-10)

Implementation activities

1. Creating an online questionnaire to include citizens in decision-making processes regarding the planning of the initiative, which aims at fulfilling the necessities of the residents as much as possible and adopt the decision of contructing the park (3 - 10). 2. Consult with different stakeholders to include as many perspectives as possible fairly, but also consulting experts to choose the most feasible actions (3 -10). These stakeholders consisted on an association of residents close to the area of implementation, civil society represented through NGOs, and specialists on urban planning, environment, transportation, and architecture (Ordinului Arhitecților din România – Filiala Iași) (6 - 10). 3. Planning to include a bus station and bike trails to create an ecological central point of transport in the area while reducing pollution through more environmentally friendly ways of transportation (3 & 4 & 7 to 10). 4. Planning to implement a park of almost 4,5 hectares, with an urban forest, diverse and aesthetic vegetation, playgrounds, accesibility points from different areas, and undergound parking, spaces and paths for bikes, an information point for tourists, public bathrooms and urban infrastructure, as well as facilities for recreation, relaxation, artistical creation and commerce (3 & 4). 5. Planning to create a historical museum to preserve and educate about the 100 year old tram station (3 & 4 & 7 to 10).

Main beneficiaries

  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality
  • Citizens or community group

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
  • Deliberative decision-making processes (e.g., consensus building, deliberative polling)
  • Taskforce groups
  • Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

A group of citizens signed a letter demanding the creation of a green space, park and urban forest where the tram station is located (2 -4). The municipality created an online questionnarie accessible to all citizens and engaged in consultations with residents close to the area, NGOs and experts to reach a decision, and planned to start a solution contest to come to a conclusion as well (3 - 10). Aforementioned citizens, NGO's and experts, including the association Ordinului Arhitecților din România – Filiala Iași, a bussiness association of architects, provided citizen and technical expertise (3 -10). The municipality of Iasi provided public spaces in institutional buildings as meeting points for consulting with the citizens, public institutions and private sector representatives (8- 10).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Yes (European standard on green space for inhabitant (3), Program of Green Cities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (9). Art. 1 of European Charter on Participatory Democracy in Spatial Planning Processes (4). )
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (Integrated Strategy for Urban Development and Green Plan for the City of Iasi (9). )

Type of enablers

Unknown

Financing

Total cost

€100,000 - €500,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution
  • Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
  • Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
  • Private sector (businesses, financial institution)

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Environmental quality
  • Improved air quality
  • Expected improved air quality
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Expected increased green space area

Economic impacts

  • More sustainable tourism
  • Expected more sustainable tourism

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved liveability
  • Expected improved liveability
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Expected improved access to urban green space
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
  • Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise
  • Improved physical health
  • Expected improved physical health
  • Cultural heritage and sense of place
  • Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
  • Expected protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
  • Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
  • Expected increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging

Type of reported impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs

Unknown

References

1.
Ionut Onofrei (2019 ). Plan depoul CTP de la Gară și garajul din Tudor, relocate la Fortus. APIX , Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Ziarul de Iasi (2022). Proiect autogara in locul depoului CTP de la Gara. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Primaria Iasi (2024). RAPORT FINAL DEPOU CTP. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Primaria Iasi (2024). Proiect regenerare urbană și peisagistică zona Depou CTP. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
5.
George Matei (2024). Depoul CTP de la Gară va fi transformat în parc Primăria anunță concurs de soluții. APIX, Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Iasi TV (2024). Primăria Iași găzduiește dezbateri publice pentru regenerarea urbană în zona Depoului CTP Gară - IasiTV Life. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
7.
24:Ore (n.d.). Proiectul de regenerare urbană și peisagistică zona Depou CTP Gară – 24_ORE. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Ziarul Evenimentul (2024). Transformarea depoului CTP în parc, susținută masiv de către ieșeni. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Laura Nitulescu (2024). Proiect de regenerare urbană la Iași pentru zona Depou CTP Gară _ Primul parc de mari dimensiuni amenajat în oraș în ultimii o sută de ani, având ca scop extinderea zonei centrale și creșterea calității vieții. G4Media, Accessed on August 20, 2024, [Source link];
10.
Elena Mihat (2024). Primăria pregătește lansarea concursului de soluții pentru depoul de la Gară parc sau autogară. APIX, Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
11.
Geogre Cristian (2024). Care sunt cele mai nepoluate, sigure și curate cartiere din Iași_. BZI, Accessed on August 29, 2024, [Source link];
12.
STORIA (n.d.). Voce Cartierelor Gara Iasi Trai . Accessed on August 29, 2024, [Source link];
13.
Harta Blocuri (n.d.). Harta Iaşi cu anul construcţiei blocurilor - Harta Blocuri .ro. Accessed on August 29, 2024, [Source link];
14.
Ziarul de Iasi (2020). Harta infracţionalităţii! Topul celor mai periculoase cartiere din Iaşi . Accessed on October 2, 2024, [Source link];
15.
Ziarul Evenimentul (2013). Cele mai periculoase zone ale municipiului Iaşi . Accessed on October 2, 2024, [Source link];
CTP park
CTP park
https://www.primaria-iasi.ro/dm_iasi/portal.nsf/atasament/A6C24C8F91D81EF7C2258AFB002D79E4/$FILE/RAPORT%20FINAL%20DEPOU%20CTP.pdf?Open
Current area to be regenerated
Current area to be regenerated
https://www.primaria-iasi.ro/dm_iasi/portal.nsf/pagini/proiect+regenerare+urbana+si+peisagistica+zona+depou+ctp-0003A232#pf7
Current area to be regenerated
Current area to be regenerated
https://www.primaria-iasi.ro/dm_iasi/portal.nsf/pagini/proiect+regenerare+urbana+si+peisagistica+zona+depou+ctp-0003A232#pf7
naturescapes bannerInformation about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.