Highway voids used for open space.
Since 1986 a large strip of land was left with only the bones of what was to be the Lima, Perus railway for an electric train. The space remained unchanged, a ghostly construction site for the train that never happened, until the Spanish collective Basurama came up with a way to turn the abondoned concrete collumns and once forgotten urban space into an amenity for the people. And then earlier this year, the Ghost Train Amusement Park was born.
Basurama, from the word basura meaning trash, has been working with trash for over a decade throughout Latin America and describes themselves as a forum for discussion and reflection on trash, waste and reuse in all its formats and possible meanings. Our aim is to study those phenomena inherent in the massive production of real and virtual trash in the consumer society, providing points of view on the subject that might generate new thoughts and attitudes. We find gaps in these processes of production and consume that not only raise questions about the way we manage our resources but also about the way we think, we work, we perceive reality.
The bright and colorful park features recycled tires transformed into multi-person swinging contraptions and climbing structures along with lines of swings and a canopy line for kids to zip along from the unfinished structure through the color-wrapped concrete collumns.
Dutch people deal with water every day. Sometimes the water is too dirty or there is too much or little of it. Waterboard De Dommel has been involved in monitoring the quality of the surface water for many years. They manage water levels in the areas where men live and work. By deliberately giving rivers more space to flow, or even overflow naturally, they prevent floods in their rural areas. Regulating water levels is also of essential importance to their agricultural and recreational sectors. The areas in Noord-Brabant that have a sandy soil, suffer from a shortage of water are reducing by keeping the water longer in certain areas in the region.
Working together for water
Waterboard De Dommel is active throughout the entire Dommel river basin, from the Belgian border up to ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Currently, there are almost one million inhabitants in this area. As a local authority, Waterboard De Dommel is dependent on the tax contributions of the inhabitants, which enables it to continue working on efficient water management. In short: Waterboard De Dommel works, thanks to the the inhabitants.
No worries
The maintenance of rivers and streams ensures sufficient water drainage and abundant supplies of nourishment for both plants and animals in the water environment. One of the ways in which the waterboard contributes to this, is by mowing streambeds. As a measure against floods in our rural areas, enough space is given to the rivers and streams to overflow naturally at specified locations. Sometimes, water levels can cause problems. Dealing with these problems is the domain of the municipal authorities. The provincial authorities and the waterboards are closely involved in solving these problems and giving the necessary solutions.
Enough water for every need
By regulating the water levels in waterbodies, they can ensure that nature reserves and agricultural areas have a sufficient water supply. They implement various methods for retaining water in these areas, such as dams, allowing rivers to meander naturally, or by raising riverbeds.
It is wonderful that the water is getting cleaner and cleaner
It is in everybodys interest that plants and animals can continue to live in the waters. That is why Waterboard De Dommel gives nature a helping hand by cleaning rivers and streams. The waterboard is regularly involved in removing waste from waterbodies. This is sadly necessary, as inhabitants and visitors throw an annual average of 350 tons of (household) waste (including bicycles, car tyres, furniture, and even cadavers) into the water. In addition to this helping hand, they also allow streams to meander just as they did in the past. By creating differences in flow velocity and volume in rivers, we see an increase in the variety of animals and plants in the river environment.
Possible to do the same with Ci Liwung, Kali Angke, Kali Mookervaart and Kalimalang??
How could I add some picts for this regard?
Ine, thank you. You can please send pictures to info@rujak.org. We will upload it for you.
I don’t care how the others who commented here are feeling about your article – I still like it.