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“Parks – green oasis in a city”

- A story about the benefits of green spaces in urban areas

Written by: Kosta Pechevski

Project Assistant at NGO Eco Logic

www.glasproject.wordpress.com www.ecologic.mk

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A park is an area of

open space

provided for

recreational use.

Lately parks have

become mush more

than a place for

recreation. With

the growing air

pollution in the

urban areas parks

have become lungs

of the city. City Park

is the largest green

oasis in Skopje.

The park was

built during

the Skopje

Governor

Hafiz

Mehmed

Pasha, after

the

construction

of the

crafting

school

"Islahane" in

the vicinity. The initial green area took space of around 16,000 m². The present

area which the City park occupies is 486 000 m².

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For me, the City Park is one of the most

relaxing spaces in the city.

A place where you can get away from all

the noise of the urban environment and

the fact living pace typical for a city life.

I can’t thing of a better place for a coffee

brake, playing sports or just taking your

dog for a walk, if you have one .

Parks Lower Stress Even a short walk through a park can have a

positive impact on your mental health.

Parks Lower Depression Spending time in green environments can

relieve not only anxiety and stress, but also

sadness and depression. Less access to

nature is linked to increased attention

deficit, hyperactivity disorder symptoms,

more sadness and higher rates of clinical

depression.

Parks Increase Happiness Better yet, when you move to a greener

neighbourhood, the mental health benefits are long term.

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Great deals of cultural events in Skopje have taken place in the City Park. Such

event, my favorite one, is Bob Marley day. Every year on the 11 of May the life of

one of the greatest musicians of all time and a legend in reggae music is

celebrated through a full day program completed with music, teatar, games etc.

People from all ages occupy the park, having fun, laughing and just hanging out.

High density development of the urban areas separates residents, resulting in

social disengagement. The crowded urban environment makes it difficult to

interact with residents and inhibits productive social communications.

Studies have shown that parks can cause a significant rise in social connection in

communities they are located in.

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Located next to the park is the

Skopje Zoo. The zoo was

established back in 1926.

Nearby is the Sports Arena

"Philip II", for all football fans.

Much of the nightlife in

Skopje in the summer is

happening in the City Park. All of the major discotecas are located in the park.

Some of my earliest childhood memories are from

the City Park. Actualy they are from the

amusement park located in the middle part. I may

be too old for some of the games there but it

always evokes fond memories.

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Urban green space

plays a crucial role in

the health of the

community. Several

studies have shown

that parks have the

ability to increase

physical and mental

health of those who

live around and utilize

them. This is

especially true

concerning children and the senior population. Green space is crucial for the

physical and mental growth of children and that participation of minors in

physical activities is dependent on the close proximity and accessibility of urban

green space.

The summers in Skopje are long,

dry and very hot. The majority of

the population in Skopje is

seaking salvation from the heat

in the City Park. Parks generally

have lower air temperatures

than surrounding areas. The

cooler air from parks often

moves out into adjacent

developed neighborhoods and

cools air there. This cooling of

surrounding areas tends to increase with park size and percentage of the park

covered by trees. Cooler air temperatures provided by urban parks can have

significant impacts on human health. During heat wave events, which can kill

hundreds of people; park areas may provide city residens with some relefe from

high air temperatures, particularly in the evening. During hot, sunny days tree

shade can greatly increase human comfort.

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And of course there's the autumn.

Is there something better and more colorful than a great city park, full of trees in

autumn? Albert Camus, a Nobel laureate, once said - “Autumn is a second spring

when every leaf is a flower.”

I live I an apartment building,

on the 5 flour. I don t have a

yard and the city park isn’t as

close as I would like It to be.

Every time I want to relax,

decompress from the

stressful city life and enjoy a

bit of greenery I have to live

my home.

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But lately I have

noticed a

growing trend

that is beganing

to take off here

in Skopje. It is

called roof

gardening,

utilizing a roof of

the building to

make little green

spot.

This is the

top of my

building

which

currently

looks very

simple and

booring.

But with a

little effort

from me

and my

teammates

from Eco

Logic I

hope we can do something interesting.

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Context Messege

A story about environment/ green spaces (parks) in urban areas

The significance of parks Effects of green areas on people's

health, physical and mental Rise in social connections Reducing the negative effects of

climate change Inspiration for future activities

Urban parks are the lungs of the city

A stressless place where you can relax

Social and cultural benefits Improving mental and physical

health Motivation for greener

environment

- This biographical story is produced as part of the activities of the project GLAS –

,,Good Life and Sustainability”, an internatonal collaboration between

organizations from Germany, Estonia, Italy and Macedonia. The project is

supported by ERAZMUS+ Programme.