Strasbourg, France
City population: 468195
Duration: 2014 – 2015
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Project area: 950 m2
Type of area: Public Greenspace Area
Last updated: October 2021

Preserved from urbanization, the square of Chalampé is a bubble of greenery in the heart of old Neudorf. The square had become aged, under-equipped and surrounded by a thin vegetated strip (Ref. 1). The project aims to revitalize Chalampé Square by removing invasive species, replanting vegetation that will remove the shady character of the square and by recreating the plant lines that line the square (Ref. 2).

Aerial view of a square with vegetation surrounded by buildings
https://associationpourneudorf.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/reamenagement-square-de-chalampe/

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Parks and urban forests
  • Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
  • Other

Key challenges

  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Habitat and biodiversity conservation
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Social interaction
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Maintenance and management of urban nature

Project objectives

This square was aging, not very visible and under-equipped. It originally offered a large sandy space surrounded by a thin vegetated strip, while despite its large trees, it appeared to be very minimal without any real character. As well as re-equipping the space with recreational facilities to improve the site's attraction, and recreating the vegetated strips by re-planting vegetation, the biodiversity of the site was to be improved by installing an insect hotel in the square (Ref. 1).

Implementation activities

During a public consultation on May 14, 2013 hosted by Strasbourg Eurometropole, wide appraisal was made of the proposal to develop the site. The delivery of planned works were made in November 2014 (Ref. 2). The duration of works lasted 4 months, running until February 2015 (Ref. 1). The awarding criteria for the contract listed environmental performance as one of the key aspects of the tender. The areas of the square worked on consisted of the following: Total area of ​​the square = 2,500 m2 Green area = 950 m2 Stabilized area = 550 m2 Surface area for playground = 300 m2 Grass surface = 285 m2 Linear fencing = 110 ml (Ref. 3).

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity conservation:

  • Protect and enhance urban habitats
  • Create new habitats
  • Protect species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
  • Control and clean invasive alien species

Main beneficiaries

  • Citizens or community groups
  • Young people and children

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

Strasbourg Eurometropole invited submitted a tender for a prime contractor on the project (Ref. 2). The contractor was unnamed by the sources in its role in the construction and implementation of the redevelopment (Ref. 1). "The fifteen local residents present at the meeting quickly chose one of the two variants proposed" (Ref. 2).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (The intervention appears under the directory off Strasbourg Eurometropole's Energy Climate Plan (Ref. 4).)

Financing

Total cost

€100,000 - €500,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Reduced emissions
  • Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
  • Environmental quality
  • Reduced noise exposure
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
  • Reduced biodiversity loss
  • Increased number of species present
  • Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
  • Enhanced support of pollination

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Safety
  • Increased perception of safety
  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
  • Other

Type of reported impacts

Achieved 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

References

(1) Strasbourg Eurometropole. [no date]. RÉAMÉNAGEMENT DU SQUARE DE CHALAMPÉ À NEUDORF. Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
(2) J'aime pour Neudorf. (2013). Réaménagement Square de Chalampé. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 29, 2020).
(3) CUS - DEPN. (2013). DPE3027V Réaménagement Square Chalampé - Neudorf. Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
(4) Strasbourg Eurometropole. [no date]. POLITIQUE ÉNERGÉTIQUE. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 29, 2020).
(5) Strasbourg Eurometropole. [no date]. ENERGY CLIMATE PLAN: ACTING TOGETHER FOR THE WORLD. Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
(6). Strasbourg Eurometropole. [no date]. "Délibération au Conseil Municipal du lundi 17 novembre 2014". Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 29, 2020).
A square surrounded by buildings with trees
https://associationpourneudorf.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/reamenagement-square-de-chalampe/