Kul.turista Suché Vrbné
After a year, the KUL.TURISTA returned to the bus terminal in Suché Vrbné. The second annual charity fair and fun day for not only children, but also their parents took place here on Wednesday, April 12. A big thanks goes to the organizers of the event, the Czech-English Gymnasium and its students.
The bus terminal in Suché Vrbné is definitely a place with great potential, but it is not currently being fully utilized. Our main goal was to build on the experiences of last year, when we watched in amazement as the park came alive with people, children, and their games and sports activities. We saw how it benefits the park and its residents. Last year, as part of the KUL.TURISTA, a sociological-urbanistic survey was conducted on the bus terminal and its surroundings, led by the Socionaut association. During the survey, local residents were asked about their favorite places, what possibilities, services or businesses are missing in the area, where they spend their free time, or what they would like to change in the neighborhood.
One of the frequently mentioned needs was the transformation of the bus terminal with the park. The final bus stop is very busy thanks to Albert. But locals lack a reason to stop in the park. Besides a few benches and an unattractive flowerbed in the park, there is nothing.
Students from the Czech-English Gymnasium took this fact as a challenge and organized a full-day program here for the umpteenth time. They invited local kindergartens and schools, for whom they prepared interactive and educational games, baked goodies, and donated all the proceeds to the St. Veronica hospice, which operates in the neighborhood. The park came alive again and served local residents naturally. It offered shade for sitting on the grass, branches of trees hid us even from a few drops of rain. It was a suitable background for a shared conversation on a bench or in a circle on the ground, jumping in a sack or in an art workshop, bird or insect recognition, henna painting, football, or walking on a slackline.
What are further possibilities?
We also approached Czech artist Kateřina Dobroslava Drahošová to participate in a one-day event in the park at the bus terminal. Dobruška helped us with a vision of how to revitalize public space with a small transformation and breathe new life into it. The key is a linear abstract painting on empty asphalt.
The intended painting should be interactive, encouraging play and observation. Not setting rules, but encouraging the creation of one's own game. "Jump over! Follow the line! Where does the arrow point? How many dots are on the sidewalk? Do I jump only on blue? Is there a treasure here?"
Subtle details in the painting encourage stopping, calming down, and engaging the imagination.
The entire process of creation is interactive and involved the local community. During the event at the Suchovrbenska turntable, the artist collected inspiration. "I received several ideas and sketches from local children, students, and passers-by. I perceive these sketches as imaginary guidelines for creating my own visual designs for the sidewalk painting at this specific location," Kateřina Dobroslava Drahošová introduces the creation process.This small and temporary transformation of public space is primarily aimed at highlighting the issue of the lack of elements for play and relaxation for the residents. It is a non-invasive yet interesting modification that can completely change the perception, use, and interest in the place.
We thank the organizers from the Czech-English Gymnasium and all visitors.
(c) Pavel Balek
