Forget heritage Local Training
about historical sites management
Bydgoszcz 24-25.04.2018
On 24-25 of April, in the former Lloyd’s Factory in Bydgoszcz (Poland) the training for representatives of CCI and public administration took place. The goal of this training was to develop the competences, planning common actions in the context of management of empty historical buildings in Bydgoszcz. The venue was selected in purpose – because Lloyds Factory is not empty anymore due to engagement of Mr Lukasz Glinski, the owner of Les Higiena Company. This is a story with happy end (hopefully), but not all buildings can be quickly properly redeveloped. Empty objects like former factory buildings and craft businesses, public facilities and commercial spaces in historical buildings, are at present, not wanted city reality. It is a problem of cities transformation, which creates empty places. Cities are expanding over the city boarders, many residents leave the city center, new technologies require new factory spaces and different logistic solutions. Changes in social practices cause shift in trade and declining old craft branches. But it is just one part of the story.
For the city it is also the chance for development. The city is a living organism, which undergoes through subsequent stages of development and crisis. For this reason there is a need for ideas and initiatives, that will again develop abandoned objects. Each new action will be the beginning of a positive change. Therefore the City of Bydgoszcz participates in the Forget Heritage project. The goal of the project is a development of partnership of 10 cities, regions and agencies and development of local models of actions that will return historical empty buildings to the city based on cultural and creative sectors potential. Trainings are the next stage of the project. In a group of city activists, entrepreneurs, people connected to the cultural sector we were looking for solutions, that would make available empty places for creators, ngo’s and new enterprises. How we may “couple” owners of historical building and people looking for less expensive solutions for new spaces? Competence training was an opportunity for networking and planning mutual actions. Soon a new module of project will begin and the City of Bydgoszcz will announce the competition for abandoned historical premises development/management. It will be an occasion for the cultural and creative sector branches to create a new place of development of new thoughts and ideas.
