Sustainable urbanism puts the balance between the need for urban growth and protecting the environment and residents who live in it, at the forefront. The link between Green Course and sustainable urbanism is strong and inseparable. We dream of a city where we can truly walk from the place we started out from, to the place we want to arrive at. Sustainable urbanism is not only more convenient, it is also healthier, more economic and more just.
Over the years we have led a number of campaigns on this matter:
- Impacting the 2030 Beer Sheba outline plan
In 2019, we sent notes on the Be’er Sheva outline plan and a significant number of them were accepted by the Local Committee. Here are the changes that we succeeded in getting into the plan:
- Setting stages in implementing the master plan, which first guarantees investment and development of existing and older neighborhoods, and only then, construction of new neighborhoods.
- Promotion of public transportation, bicycle riding and walking in the objectives section of the master plan.
- Addition of a stage of examining the possibility of public transportation as a condition for the approval of large construction projects. In addition to this, the possibility of promoting public transportation infrastructure to employment zones, will be examined.
- Any construction and development plan will have to take pedestrians and their needs into consideration (for example, shading), and will be examined in accordance to its effect on pedestrians.
- Evacuation-construction projects will be obligated to include a social appendix with tools to prevent the marginalization of vulnerable populations.
- The Struggle to lower Dizengoff Square
In 1978, Dizengoff square changed its appearance and became a two level square. In this version, the public space was raised several meters above street level and became a neglected backyard, while the ground level was designated for vehicles only, and turned into a busy, noisy, polluted intersection.
In 2011, we established The Front to Lower Dizengoff Square, in order to remind the Municipality of Tel Aviv-Yaffo of the environmental-social hazard of the square and cause city leaders to wake up and change the situation. We were a group of residents, who understood that the city belongs to its pedestrians, and that it is their right to live in good, accessible and friendly, public spaces.
The near final step of the struggle was the act of public and stakeholder participation, in the middle of which stood the planning exhibit we initiated: Dizengoff Square at Eye Level. The exhibition presented over 10 bids by young architectures, who presented innovative plans for a lowered square and brought the tidings to the 12th floor of the Municipality. Together with then council members, Sharon Malhi and Noah Efron, we succeeded in leading the Municipality to launch a city-wide survey on the topic, that showed an overwhelming majority supporting a lowered square.
Because of the residents’ struggle, on February 1, 2016, Tel Aviv Authorities took the decision to return Dizengoff Square to its original form. Demolition of the square took place in January 2017, and in September 2018, all the streets that surround the square were opened, with bicycle paths and grassy areas were placed around the renewed square.
Success was not complete however, because even after the long struggle – the authorities did not share the plans for the new square with the public, and unnecessarily felled 11 trees of over 80 years old. However, at the same time, we halted construction of an unnecessary and polluting planned parking lot; the kind that would have taken an even heavier toll. In spite of everything, our struggle succeeded – Dizengoff Square has descended to the people.
