Estiu a la fresca — Summer OUTDOORS

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Sustainability

Estiu a la fresca — Summer OUTDOORS

Free, all-ages leisure activities in public spaces.

Santa Coloma de Gramenet City Council

Spain

Local policy

POLICY OBJECTIVE

Give residents of the municipality and, in particular, families who cannot go on holidays outside the municipality, summertime leisure options in the evening and at night.
Encourage people to use public spaces to build relationships and social bonds, and as community spaces.
Foster coexistence and encourage people to get to know their neighbours.
Emphasize the importance of public spaces in forging cross-generational bonds.

CONTEXT

Santa Coloma is a densely populated city with a population characterized by low earners often lacking the possibility of going on holidays during the hottest months. Moreover, a densely concentrated 4.5 km2 of habitable area means that houses are often small and overcrowded, with residents consequently spending a great deal of time in the street in summer. Often homes are also improperly conditioned, so going outside provides residents their only respite from heat.

In addition, residents of certain city squares complained frequently of incidents like noise, uncivil behaviour, and clashes stemming from incompatibilities in how different groups of people use squares.

In 2021, amid restrictions due to the pandemic, the local administration decided to offer citizens free leisure activities in some city squares. The objective was two-fold: mitigate the limiting effects of ongoing restrictions, and prevent certain groups of individuals from appropriating squares where conflict was generated with neighbours.

Response among citizens was positive. People changed how they used squares, and the programme was replicated and improved in subsequent summers. Further expansion increased the offer throughout the city and introduced identification stamps. Today, the public expects more from programmed activities and response continues to improve.

POLICY DESCRIPTION

A technical coordination team oversees the spaces, activities, logistics and dissemination. Each associated service (culture, elderly, environment, equality, etc) develops activities related to their field, with implementation shared according to an agreed schedule.

Activities are held in squares throughout the city between 7.30pm and 12 midnight, Thursday to Sunday, from June to late August.

Once activities have ended, services reconvene to assess matters like attendance, organization and logistics and plan the following year’s activities taking into account this assessment.

KEY ASPECTS

Free summertime leisure offer in various parts of the city.
Cross-generational.
Values public space and community uses that can be given to it.
Enables people to create social bonds and informal networks.
Encourages people to live in community, respect public space and, by strengthening their sense of belonging, use and maintain spaces co-responsibly.
Cross-cutting common strategy generates a collaborative workspace between services which creates shared tools to manage activities and reduces duplication and expenses.

RESULTS

In 2022, more than 8,000 people of all ages enjoyed municipal programming. In July and August more than 140 leisure activities –twice the previous year’s number– were offered, particularly for children and young people.

The 2022 programme played out at 14 sites across the city. Families enjoyed over 40 days of leisure programming (from Thursday to Sunday).

This summer’s locations were decorated with banners highlighting messages of coexistence to remind citizens that everyone can enjoy the squares and streets, taking care of space and people.

Participants were offered visors and fans, which, with messages like “Let’s use the bins”, “Respect everyone’s rest” and “My pet, my responsibility”, reinforce the initiative by promoting behaviours to foster coexistence.

Policy's Website

Carmen

Uroz

Social movements Coordinator

urozbc@gramenet.cat

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