The buzz about Janow Podlaski has recently been due to the effects of the revitalization of the city's central square. There used to be about 140 trees there. Today there are just over 40 left, and an illuminated fountain with a family of horses stood on the concrete square.
A revitalized (as the project reads) square in the center of the city was officially unveiled in Janów Podlaski (Lublin Province) on July 15. The revitalization project, developed by the ABRYS Pracownia Architektoniczna Arkadiusz Bojczuk studio, included the renovation of the square, as well as the construction of a pavilion housing, among other things, a tourist information point, and the placement of a fountain with horses in the center of the square - referring, of course, to the biggest attraction of the place: the horse farms. Implementation of the project cost the municipality PLN 4 million. The contractor was the company UBiT Usługi Budowlane i Transportowe Jerzy Łaski.
Project for revitalization of the central square in Janów Podlaski
© ABRYS Pracownia Architektoniczna Arkadiusz Bojczuk
Design of a pavilion
© ABRYS Pracownia Architektoniczna Arkadiusz Bojczuk
94 trees: the cost of modernity
The effect of the revitalization might not have aroused so many objections if it were not for the fact that, in order to achieve the design goals, Janov authorities decided to cut down 94 of the 140 trees.
Now there is more concrete and , according to the mayor of Janów Podlaski municipality, Leszek Chwedczuk , the square looks more modern. Asked by the local media why the idea for such a large number of cuttings, he explained that some of the trees were diseased. However, the tree inventory attached to the tender documentation shows that quite a few healthy trees were also cut down - including lindens, oaks and chestnut trees. True, new trees have been planted, and it appears from the authorities' announcement that more will be planted, but the problem is that these are young, small trees that provide no shade and absorb little pollution.
The results of the revitalization have left just over 40 trees, and most of the square's surface is covered with concrete. It is hardly surprising that during the official opening of the square, invited guests found shade only under the small canopy of the pavilion. Everywhere else, shade could be sought in vain. A photo report of the event was shared on his Twitter account by Michal Wojtczuk, a journalist for "Gazeta Stołeczna".
Janów Podlaski: after cutting the ribbon on the modernized square (the work included cutting 94 trees), guests hid from the sweltering weather under the roof of a nearby pavilion to applaud the fountain in the middle of the square's stone floor from this patch of shade.
- Michal Wojtczuk (@MichaWojtcz) July 16, 2021
Foty via FB Word of Podlasie https://t.co/qaNJgKShnj pic.twitter.com/Jm1rZGBVYA
What do the residents of Janow think about all this? Opinions are divided, but, reading the comments on the municipality's Facebook profile, most are critical. Above all, people do not like the fact that, in order to revitalize the square, it was necessary to cut down almost a hundred trees.
"they rush the horses..."
In the center of the square, on a concrete slope, stood a fountain with horses, referring to Janów Podlaski 's biggest tourist attraction - horse farms. It was designed and made by local artist Arkadiusz Markiewicz. In the center of the fountain gallops a family of horses: a mare, foal and stallion. The horse figures were cast in bronze. This element of the revitalization is also not liked by all residents, but politicians invited to the opening of the square said it was the most beautiful fountain in the region!
Fountain
© Janów Podlaski Municipality
Janów Podlaski clearly did not pass the test of revitalizing the square well. This is an example of ignorance of the facts and expert recommendations on protecting as many urban trees as possible from being cut down, and evidence of the authorities imposing the design of a public place on the residents. Maybe if there had been a competition and public consultation, and not just a tender, residents would not have agreed to cut 94 trees and concrete the square.
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