On Saturday 8 June, more than forty people visited the former wood processing plant called Dřevona in the small town of Poříčany, Czech Republic. They took the unique opportunity to visit this abandoned production site, which has been waiting for its next use since the mid-1990s. The representatives of the municipality want to revitalize the area of the former factory and give it a new use based on the suggestions of the local people. Saturday’s tours and discussions were part of a broader participatory process enabling citizens to share their insight regarding the future of their village.
The village residents had the opportunity to walk through almost the entire old site, which has been abandoned for 15 years. The municipality carries out only the minimum necessary maintenance in the old factory, and so in many places you can still feel the atmosphere of the former production. There is a well-preserved boiler house, on the walls of the production halls hang posters from magazines published at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. Even a former employee of Dřevona attended the Saturday’s tours.
The tour was followed by a discussion during which we asked local people about the possibilities of future use of Dřevona. The former wood processing plant has a great potential for the village. It is located right in the center of Poříčany, so it offers a place for civic amenities, complemented by a park or public greenery. The current short-term rental of storage space should give way to a more permanent solution in the future. In the past, the municipality commissioned two studies on the development of Dřevona, but neither of the proposed solutions was ideal. Visitors were able to see both studies on Saturday, along with other materials and even historical plans and photographs of the site.
And how did the local people see the future of the area? Ideas for a community center or a multi-purpose hall for concerts, rehearsals or theater performances were often floated. In the future, Dřevona could serve specific target groups such as seniors – clients of a nursing home – or parents with children. People from all generations could also meet here, regardless of whether they are old residents or newcomers who have moved to Poříčany only recently. Workshop participants also mentioned the possibility of commercial use of the old site, in the form of medical (dental) practices, a pharmacy, a café or a cake shop with its own production facility.
The abandoned site is surrounded by two hectares of land. People suggest there could be a park, but also perhaps a community garden. A playground or skate park could also be part of the outdoor space. As mentioned by some participants in the discussion, part of the area could also be used for rental housing. However, the site is located in a flood zone, which limits some ideas.
Many opinions on the future use of the Dřevona site were expressed during the discussions.This part of the participatory process was important mainly because it took place directly in the area that the municipality is considering revitalizing.
Local people will have further opportunities to express their views on the future of the village this weekend. During the celebration of the 140th anniversary of the volunteer fire brigade from 21 to 23 June, a participation container will be placed in the village, where it will be possible to leave suggestions for the future development of Poříčany.
Are you planning to revitalize old sites or have other projects in your town or city and want to involve citizens and other stakeholders in the discussion? Contact us at info@participationfactory.com, we can discuss your project with you and design a participatory process tailored to your needs.