Brno, June 23 (BD) – It was a year ago when people pinned the spots they like, they are proud of, or hate most in Brno.
The so called feeling maps are “spatial tools for involving citizens in community matters,” says Jiří Pánek, the author of Czech feeling maps PocitoveMapy.cz (title picture). “I usually ask people to identify places on the map where they feel afraid (mapping of safety), where they like it (spatial preferences), what places they spend their free time at, or where they think it’s dirty and messy (environment pollution, etc.),” Pánek explains.
Emotional mapping was one of the earliest tools of the city of Brno to get acquainted with citizens’ preferences. The outcomes will be reflected in the Brno City Strategy.
The best and the worst in Brno
No wonder that Špilberg Castle, The Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul (Petrov), Zelný trh (Vegetable Market), or the oldest public park Lužánky are seen as the best city sites. Even the Statue of Margrave Jošt as a thought-provoking public art with unusual perspectives is after all one of the favorite places to hang out in Brno. These spots together with places for a recreation such as Kraví hora, a huge abandoned limestone quarry in the side of the Hády hill and Bíla hora awake positive feelings and pride in Brno’s citizens.
The biggest and one of the oldest squares in Brno, Náměstí Svobody (Freedom Square), remains controversial. Since its reconstruction in 2006, citizens tend to have love-hate relationship with the new square and astronomical clock. The clock strikingly reminding male phallus is one of the most common reasons people criticize the Square. The excessive paved area unbalanced with greenery and too many trams are also to its detriment.
As for popularly infamous places, there is only one “winner” – Brno central railway station, Hlavní nádraží. People cannot agree whether to move central railway station further from the center or only reconstruct it; but this is what they all share: “Brno central railways station is a shame!” as comments to emotional mapping suggest. The abandoned football stadium behind Lužánky and problematic city part Cejl is under people’s scrutiny, too.
For more information, e.g. best residential places, check Brno Feeling Map at PocitoveMapy.cz (little knowledge of Czech language is needed).
Feelings turning into reality
“The construction of the new football stadium is one of the strategic projects of city Brno. By the end of the year 2017 the funding should be confirmed,” said Brno Mayor Petr Vokřál to Brno.idnes.cz. In early May, the new project was presented to the public. Up to 33 000 spectators should fit in the new stadium by 2020. Read more about the new stadium in our article New Football Stadium Za Luzankami.
The future of Brno central train station is much more blurred. The feasibility study assessing various alternatives for the central station has been postponed once again. It is still not clear, whether the actual train station will be modernized or moved to another city part. Will be the old one demolished? So far, no one can say.
