Proflieration of concrete is affecting more and more Polish cities, and replacing green areas with concrete slabs is a common phenomenon. This not only drastically changes the landscape, but is also a real danger to residents – if only because of the constantly rising temperatures. So let’s take a look at a few Polish cities where concretitis is at a particularly high level.
Skierniewice facing the threat of water shortage
Skierniewice is a flagship example of concretitis. In the 1970s it was a city full of greenery, trees and flowers. In 2005-2006, however, the Skierniewice market square underwent a total metamorphosis – it was deprived of vegetation and replaced with “modern” concrete slabs.
Skierniewice market square devoid of greenery
The effects of the change have been disastrous. Through overheating of the slabs and the lack of the natural tree cover, the perceived temperature has risen dramatically. Moreover, during summer months the city faces the threat of water shortage. However, Skierniewice authorities have decided to take a step towards improving the situation and restoring green areas. The city will take part in the project “De-concretised”. Based on a survey conducted among residents on what should be changed in the city, green areas, relaxation spots as well as sun and rain shelters will be created in the market square.
Włocławek with the costly removal of greenery
The once green Włocławek was “revitalised” in 2014 in a rather peculiar way. The change consisted mainly of removing green areas and replacing them with large-format concrete slabs. Residents even hailed the market as a “concrete desert”. However, the most controversial was the fact that as much as PLN 6.3 million was paid for getting rid of trees, grass and hedges.
Changes in the Old Market Square in Włocławek / fot. Sławomir Bieńkowski
Over time, the authorities of Włocławek have also concluded that there is not enough vegetation in the city. Although an attempt has been made to change this, there will be significantly fewer green areas than before the revitalisation. The amount of money that can be allocated for this purpose is also much lower (about 600 thousand zlotys). Another problem is that the city only owns 5% of all real estate in the city centre, which limits the possibility to carry out major changes.
Krzeszowice hot as a pan
Krzeszowice became infamous recently for an event carried out by 19-year-old Kacper Ropek. Observing the aggravating problem of rising temperatures, he decided to test the heat level in practice. On a sunny day Kacper went to the paved market square in Krzeszowice with a frying pan and eggs. What was the result? Without any additional heat source, using only the heating concrete slabs, he cooked scrambled eggs in 80 minutes.
Kacper’s experiment shows just how great a danger the paved areas can be. Overheating slabs not only cause discomfort, but can also have a negative impact on health. Residents are also aware of the problem and have prepared a petition to restore green areas in public spaces. The problem, however, is the lack of funds for this purpose.
The modern, concrete Poznań
Poznan has also followed the example of many Polish concrete cities. The authorities undertook the renovation of Rynek Łazarski (costing almost 43 million PLN), which consisted in introducing modern blocks and an aesthetic, consistent finish. Unfortunately, the authorities of Poznań forgot about vegetation, replacing almost all trees and bushes with stone and concrete.
According to those in charge of the project, the trees were cut down to make way for new water supply and sewage networks. They also wanted to increase the capacity of the roads and widen the pavements. However, apart from small pots, there was not enough free space for plants.
The only vegetation present in the Łazarski Square / fot. Piotr Skórnicki, Agencja Gazeta
And it does not have to be like that at all! One of our projects – the Hydrozone Benefit retention tank along with stormwater drainage in Międzywodzie – shows that the construction of new water facilities does not have to bring negative consequences for green areas. What is more, the adopted infrastructure actually supports the plants – e.g. through the implementation of pre-treatment systems thanks to which water can be successfully reused for watering. The project is supervised by the Bumerang SMART system, which allows for monitoring and management of the entire facility.
Łódź and its rain problems
Large quantities of concrete are also taking their toll in Łódź. A side effect of removing some of the green areas in Łódź is not only an increase in temperatures, but also frequent flooding of the streets. Despite strenuous efforts and modernisation of sewage systems, heavier rainfalls often turn the roads into rivers.
Dąbrowski Square in Łódź covered in concrete
However, the Łódź authorities are trying to combat concretitis by introducing more vegetation in public spaces. One of the latest projects is the complete reconstruction of the Wolności Square so that it features more trees, lawn and bushes. The so-called rain gardens and systems for self-sufficient retention will also be created.
The problem of concretitis in the Polish cities is unfortunately still a widespread phenomenon. Apart from the five cities mentioned above, in many other parts of our country we see situations where stone, cobblestone and concrete cover areas much larger than green spaces. It is good that some of the cities are slowly reflecting and are trying to restore vegetation in the urban landscape. However, the path towards green balance is still long and, nomen omen, paved with many problems…