Biographical story Environment. Kosta pechevski GLAS Project Erasmus+

1. 1
“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.