Till date, i didnt learn about any serious initiative for creating some public places such as squares, Parks, etc... does anyone have any ideas?

Till date, i didnt learn about any serious initiative for creating some public places such as squares, Parks, etc... does anyone have any ideas?
There have been a few really nice looking squares built over the last few years. I think they're redoing Tayyonee and the new ones near UNESCO are nice but I've never seen anyone actually sitting there. The Horge park was opened to the public for a bit but then vandals started coming in and destroying the trees so now you must go to city hall and get a permit.

There is no city wide planing. A lot are just going district by district and the city is too dense for any more huge parks. The only ideas I would suggest is:

1) to lease or buy the roof space from building owners and build public gardens.

2) covered benches in major spots where people get on the bus,

3) fountains under the Cola Bridge

4) clean up the public beach and turn half of it into a free open air gym and skatepark

5) Turn the dusty soccerfield in the horge into an indoor Olympic sized swimming pool and another pool for swimming lessons and a public library.

Edit- Forgot to add to do something with Maytrs Square! They probably already have something planned anyway

Has anyone else noticed theres something that resembles a park across the street from Dunes and Lycee Verdun? What is that and why isnt it open to the public?

Has anyone else noticed theres something that resembles a park across the street from Dunes and Lycee Verdun? What is that and why isnt it open to the public?

It used to be Carmel St-Joseph school, it is a private property, Verdun 5 complex should be built there

http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=33.8842978&lon=35.484311&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2

http://www.terreliban.org/images/stories/baabdaforest_edit572.jpg

On december 7th 2008, T.E.R.R.E. Liban organised the opening of Baabda forest.

http://www.terreliban.org/images/stories/gallerie/Ouverture_Officielle/_MG_4859.jpg

http://www.terreliban.org/images/stories/gallerie/Ouverture_Officielle/_MG_4863.jpg

http://www.terreliban.org/images/stories/gallerie/Ouverture_Officielle/_MG_4948.jpg

The Baabda Forest is the nearest forest of Beirut. It's 10 hectars big, and contains 270 types of plants, 171 types of birds, 18 types of reptiles and 12 species of mammals.

This forest is of threatened of disappearance so the "peace highway" is built.

Sign this petitin against the construction of that highway.
http://www.terreliban.org/component/option,com_joomlapetition/Itemid,1/catid,1/func,viewcategory/

^Wow I had no idea anything like that was close to Beirut except the Horge. What is the "Peace Highway" though? Is it another name for the "Pan Arab highway" thats supposed to go from Beirut-Riyadh?

It used to be Carmel St-Joseph school, it is a private property, Verdun 5 complex should be built there
http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=33.8842978&lon=35.484311&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2
Thanks for the info! Its really unfortunate that the land wasnt a park. I think it would've been a nice location for tourists to get some ambiance.

Hersh Tebet

http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs39/f/2008/366/6/9/wooden_shade_by_ghazayel.jpg


http://fc03.deviantart.com/fs39/f/2008/366/b/d/go_under__D_by_ghazayel.jpg


http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs39/f/2008/366/8/b/under_10_not_21__D_by_ghazayel.jpg

René Moawad/Sanayeh Garden

http://i43.tinypic.com/30tqat1.jpg

Riyad El Soleh Square
by chadsmith71
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3084/2455025282_615f60c19e.jpg?v=0

Downtown

http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs43/f/2009/115/6/e/6e560afabdd3249e375deed88b549b25.jpg


By ali rashid


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3017/2995585496_2088cc5c58.jpg?v=0


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2995593440_cccff4ac2c.jpg?v=0


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/2995584088_0effcbafb8.jpg?v=0


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3242/2995581710_da821c5b7d.jpg?v=0

Hippodrome de Beyrouth
http://i40.tinypic.com/161esl5.jpg

By tayara72

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3081/2890803878_9e1a886f9f_b.jpg

By coriver

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3664/3342018904_f85c92927d.jpg?v=0

Samir Kassir Square

http://78.136.16.169/image/P0340904.jpg
http://www.architecturelist.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/3.jpg


http://78.136.16.169/image/P0340901.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3453/3314016008_eb432abacf.jpg?v=0

This is what happens to gardens in Beirut

ينا ابي صعب



تحت عنوان «تطوير العاصمة»، اتخذت بلدية بيروت قراراًً غير مسبوق، بإنشاء مواقف للسيارات تحت الأرض وفوقها في الحدائق والساحات العامة والأملاك البلدية.
المشروع في ظاهره حاجة ماسة لسكان وزائري المدينة، خصوصاً أن المواقف المزمع إنشاؤها تتوزع على مناطق مكتظة عمرانياً وضيقة الشوارع، مثل ساحات «ساقية الجنزير» و«الصنوبرة» و«عبد الناصر» و«البرج» ، وتحت حدائق «اليسوعية» و«المفتي حسن خالد» و«مار نقولا» و«كرم العريش»، والأملاك العامة في «السوديكو» وإضافة مواقف جديدة تحت المواقف الموجودة اصلاً في «حرج بيروت» وسواها.
هذا المشروع الطموح، يضم اضافة الى المواقع المذكورة اعلاه، حديقتي «الصنائع» و«السيوفي»، وهما الحديقتان اللتان تختزنان الذاكرة الخضراء لمدينة حولتها شهية البناء الى «مرأب» أبنية وعمارات يلتصق بعضها ببعضها الآخر، وخطر «الجازور» يحدق بالاشجار التي كانت على مر الاعوام المئة الفائتة شهوداً حية على التاريخ الحديث للمدينة، وعلى تاريخ أجيال مرّت عليها.
علامات استفهام كثيرة ترسم نفسها، أمام مشروع كان بإمكان البلدية، التي تتربع على كرسي العاصمة منذ فترة طويلة نسبيا، أن تختار توقيتاً أقل جدلية من فترة الانتخابات للإعلان عنه.
والسؤال الأساسي الذي يطرح: لماذا اختارت بلدية بيروت الحديقتين الوحيدتين المتبقيتين كمتنفس لأهالي بيروت من ضمن الأماكن المطروحة؟ وهل سأل أصحاب المشروع أنفسهم عن إمكانيات وبدائل أخرى عن هذه الأماكن؟ وهل تأتي مشاريع كهذه من ضمن خطة عامة لتحسين وضع المرور في بيروت؟ وهل تم لحظ مشاريع كهذه من ضمن خطط النقل التي تعدها وزارة النقل منذ سنوات؟ وهل يتم التنسيق بين البلدية والوزارات المعنية؟
أسئلة لم يتمكن اصحاب الشأن، ولا سيما نواب العاصمة من الإجابة عليها.
قباني يتفاجأ
يعتبر النائب محمد قباني رئيس لجنة الأشغال النيابية أن «بيروت أصبحت خلال السنّوات الماضية مرأباً كبيراً للسيارات». قباني الذي تفاجأ بأن المشروع سيطال حديقة «الصنائع»، أكد أنه «يدعم قرار البلدية بإنشاء مواقف عمومية، مع ملاحظة خصوصية بعض الحدائق، لأن إيجاد مواقف عامة للسيارات هو أحد أبرز الحلول المطلوبة لمعالجة أزمة السير ولو بشكل جزئي، ويمكن إتمامه تحت أو فوق الأرض، في الساحات العامة وبعض الحدائق وحيث يمكن ذلك». لكنه استبعد أن يضم المشروع حديقة «الصنائع» أو «السيوفي»، «لوجود صعوبات تعيق العمل فيها بسبب وجود هذه الأشجار الباسقة التي لا يجوز المس بها».
الطرقات التي لا تلائم العصر
تقسم المدن في العالم الى نوعين، مدن ناشئة وأخرى هرمة، لكن رئيس لجنة التخطيط والأملاك والاستملاك في بلدية بيروت المهندس هشام سنّو، يأخذ على عاتقه «التخطيط لبيروت المستقبلية» على حد قوله. يعتبر سنو العاصمة «مدينة ناضجة، طرقاتها ضيقة لا تلائم العصر الحديث، ولا يمكن إنشاء مواقف تحت هذه الطرقات في معظم المناطق، لا سيما منطقة «الصنائع» المكتظة سكانياً والتي تضم شوارع ضيقة بالمجمل»، مشيراً إلى «إمكانية إنشاء مرائب عمومية تحت حديقة «الصنائع» دون المساس بالثروة الخضراء الموجودة فيها، بتنفيذ التقنية التي استخدمتها الحكومة المصرية على بعض الأشجار المعمرة على شاطئ نهر النيل، حيث عمدت إلى نقل هذه الأشجار دون التأثير سلباً عليها». وأضاف سنّو أن «هذا مشروع لن يتوقف بسبب وجود شجرة ممكن معالجتها بطريقة من الطرق من قبل مهندسين اختصاصيين».
عريضة اعتراضية
واعتبر سنّو أن سكان المنطقة يتذمرون من الفكرة «خوفاً من أن يطال الضرر ممتلكاتهم، وأي تخطيط في بيروت يقابله الناس بالتذمر، لأنهم يخافون من الجديد».
هذا الأمر نفاه أهالي«الصنائع» معتبرين أن منطقتهم غير تجارية وليست بحاجة لهذا العدد من المواقف. وأشار السيد عاطف بعدراني، أحد القائمين بحملة لرفض مشروع البلدية من خلال توزيع عريضة يوقعها كل من تعنيه «جنينة الصنائع»، «أن السكان يخشون على زوال الحديقة التي يعود تاريخها الى الحكم العثماني، ويخافون على صحتهم من التلوث الذي ستسببه عوادم السيارات والمولدات الكهربائية التي ستبث السموم في منطقة سكانية، إضافة إلى ازدحام حركة المرور الإضافية التي سيفرضها وجود مواقف عامة كبيرة». ويضيف بعدراني أن «البديل عن الحديقة لإقامة الموقف موجود في القطعة الأرض التي يستخدمها المصرف المركزي حالياً كموقف خاص بزائريه»، معتبرا «ان طرح البلدية لا يحل أزمة السير، لأن المشكلة في نظام السير نفسه، الذي لا تحترمه حتى قوى الأمن».
الحديقة ملك الدولة
يؤمن المشروع عند إتمامه نحو 60% من حاجة السكان إلى المواقف، أما النسبة الباقية فيعتبر سنّو أن تأمينها في العقارات الجديدة ممكن «لأن البلدية قدمت حوافز في قانون البناء لإنشاء مواقف خاصة بكل مبنى»، إضافة الى الطرق الحديثة التي «سيتم تطبيقها خلال أعوام قليلةً، مثل مباني المرائب الالكترونية التي تتألف من عدة طبقات وتعمل على الكومبيوتر».
ومن جهة أخرى أكدت مصادر في نقابة المهندسين ان البلدية «ستلزّم المشروع لشركة تنفذ الموقف وتستثمره لعدة سنّوات ثم تسلمه للبلدية، وقال المصدر ان البلدية لن تكون قادرة على العمل في الحديقة لأن ملكيتها تعود للدولة اللبنانية، ما يتطلب مرسوماً خاصا»، الأمر الذي أكده سنّو مضيفاً «أن البلدية ستحاول الحصول على مراسيم وتأمين المستندات المطلوبة كاملة في كل الأماكن المفترض تحويلها الى مواقف». وأشار إلى ان المشكلة لا تتوقف عند المرسوم، فكل «المراسيم التي صدرت في السنّوات العشر الأخيرة هي لحدائق تحتها مرائب سيارات، لكن المشكلة في الحدائق الجديدة أنها إذا لم تكن مستلزمة الشروط القانونية، فبإمكان أصحابها استرجاعها من البلدية بثمنها عند البيع». وأضاف «أن ملكية بعض العقارات تعود للدولة أو لمجموعة افراد، ما يزيد التعقيد في عملية تحديد الملكية والاستملاك، ويشكل عبئاً مادياً هائلاً قد يمنع البلدية من استملاك أراض جديدة وتحويلها الى مواقف عمومية بسبب ارتفاع أسعار الاراضي بشكل جنوني.
مشكلة في استراتيجية النقل
أزمة المواقف العمومية ليست بجديدة على الساحة البيروتية، وزادها حدة التمادي في تجاهل القانون القاضي بإنشاء مواقف سيارات تابعة للمباني السكنية، فعلى مدى عقود، تحولت المواقف الموجودة الى مستودعات، باتت إعادة استصلاحها أكثر كلفة من إنشاء مواقف جديدة، ما ضاعف حاجة المناطق الكثيفة سكانياً إلى إيجاد بديل، ودفع بأصحاب الأراضي البور إلى تحويلها إلى مواقف عمومية، حلت أزمة النقل والتنقل داخل المدينة ولو جزئياً، لكن استراتيجية النقل التي تفتقدها بيروت، تقضي بتجهيز عدد كاف من الباصات يتناسب حجمها مع الطلب، وتأمين خطوط سير خاصة بها، وتحديد هـذه الخــطوط ومنع تداخلها أو تأخــير تحركها، لتصبح بديلاً عملياً وغير مكلف، يمكن الاتكال عليه من قبل المواطن، ما يدعم فكرة تقليص عدد السيارات خدمة للبيئة ولتسهيل الحركة على السواء.
عمليات التنظيم هذه نفذتها عواصم عالمية تفوق بيروت لناحية الاكتظاظ السكاني، فمدينة «سنغابور» مثلاً وصلت الى حد طلب صك ملكية موقف السيارة قبل شرائها، فيما رفعت بعض الدول الاوروبية الضرائب المفروضة على السيارات، بفرض رسوم معينة تدفع لمستخدمي الطرقات الرئيسية فيها.
لكن أزمة لبنان الازلية، بغض النظر عن الحاجة الدائمة للمشاريع الإنمائية وفي كل الأوقات، أن القرارات بإقامة مشاريع الدولة تنبع من مصالح شخصية، تعود الى مصالح انتخابية أو دعائية بحتة.
وتقترح مصادر بيئية متابعة المحافظة على الحدائق العامة، لا بل زيادتها، واعتماد مخطط آخر واستراتيجية مختلفة لقطاع النقل تقوم على إعطاء الأولوية للنقل العام، والتخفيف من استخدام السيارات الخاصة، التي تنعكس بدورها إيجابا على التخفيف من حركة السير وأزمتها، والتخفيف من الضغط على المواقف والحاجة إليها والى توسيعها بشكل دائم. وطالبت المراجع البيئية بإيجاد خيارات أخرى كإقامة المشروع تحت الطرق الرئيسية.

can you sum up the main points in english please.

can you sum up the main points in english please.

the city of beirut decided to build underground parkings under two of the biggest parks in beirut sanaye3 and sioufi, which means they would have to get rid of all the old trees in these parks in order to build the parking, and even if they recreate the gardens, they d only be able to replant small trees as there wouldn t be enuff soil for large trees to grow..

it s official, beirut is governed by morons, but so is the rest of the country :bash::bash:

^^ not anymore, it's called off

بلدية بيروت تتراجع عن قرار تحويل حديقة الصنائع إلى مرأب

نجح سكان منطقة الصنائع وبعض الجمعيات البيئية في إنقاذ مصير الحديقة الذي كانت ستتحول إلى مرأب للسيارات. وكان من المتوقع أن يقيم هؤلاء تجمّعاً اليوم في الحديقة، استنكارا للقرار الذي أعلنه رئيس بلدية بيروت المهندس عبد المنعم العريس أخيرا، بإنشاء مواقف سيارات للعموم داخل بيروت، أحدها تحت حديقة الصنائع، وآخر تحت حديقة السيوفي.
أصدر «سكان منطقة حديقة الصنائع» بياناً بعد ظهر أمس أعلن عن إلغاء التجمع الذي كان مقرراً عند العاشرة من صباح اليوم في الحديقة، بعد لقاء مع العريس الذي أبدى «كل التفهم لقلق سكان منطقة الصنائع، مبديا كل حسن نية بهذا الشأن، ومعتبرا أن هناك حاجة لمواقف سيارات عامة في كل أنحاء مدينة بيروت. كما أن البلدية هي بصدد دراسة مخطط توجيهي عام لمعالجة هذه الحاجة وتوفيرها». وأضاف البيان نقلاً عن العريس: «وبما يتعلق بالحدائق عامة، وحديقة الصنائع خاصة، ستكون هناك إعادة نظر بعدم المس بهذه الحديقة، مع عدم ممانعته بأن يؤخذ برأي السكان في المنطقة من قبل البلدية للبحث المعمق لاحقا بالبدائل الممكن أن تتوفر لإنشاء مواقف عامة للسيارات». وصرّح العريس: «إن سياسية البلدية تراعي زيادة المساحات الخضراء لا إنقاصها».
وكانت اللجنة قد زارت قبل لقائها العريس، النائب سعد الحريري الذي بحسب البيان، «أبدى عميق التفهم لوجهة نظر اللجنة
http://assafir.com/Photos/Photos30-05-2009/28926-2.jpg

ووعد بأخذ هذا الأمر على عاتقه ومعالجة هذا الموضوع».
شكرت اللجنة كلا من الحريري والعريس ووزير الداخلية والبلديات زياد بارود على ما أبدوه من تعاون.
وقبل إلغاء التجمّع، كان سكان منطقة الصنائع ومحيطها قد خرجوا للدفاع عن حديقتهم في مواجهة مشروع رئيس البلدية، من خلال حملة حملت عنوان «ذكريات تمحى»، تضمنت رسائل الكترونية وهاتفية تدعو الناس إلى التجمع الاعتراضي.
الحملة على موقع «فايسبوك»
لاقى قرار تحويل الحديقة إلى مرأب صداه السلبي جداً على موقع «فايسبوك» الذي شهد مئات التعليقات، وخلق مجموعات تضم عددا كبيرا من المعارضين. بداية مع مجموعة «أرفض أن تمحوا ما تبقى من مدينتي.. أرفض تخريب حديقتي الصنائع والسيوفي». ضمّت المجموعة أكثر من 900 عضو من اللبنانيين الذين يقيمون على أرض الوطن والمغتربين. وعبّر هؤلاء عن آرائهم على حائط المجموعة. ورغم الإعلان عن إعادة النظر بالقرار، أصرّت تلك المجموعات على الاستمرار في إشهار تعلّق اللبنانيين بالحديقة التي يعتبرونها تراثية، ربما خوفاً من عودة البلدية عن قرارها بعد مرور المرحلة الانتخابية.
يستغرب إيلي تزامن اتخاذ القرار في بحر أسبوع واحد من الزمن قبل موعد الانتخابات النيابية. وبينما رفضت سارة تصديق الخبر، صدق «بيبو» في توقعاته حين قال إن القرار لن ينفذ. وكان القرار الملغى قد استفزّ راشيل التي تحلم باصطحاب أطفالها الى الحديقة التي ترعرعت ونشأت فيها. كذلك، دوّنت سينتيا: «مش ح يخلوا ولا شجرة، خلوا لبنان اخضر يا جماعة!». وعرض جاد الذي يعيش في كوريا الجنوبية، نظرته الخاصة إلى المشروع من باب خبرته مهندساً. ورغم أنه لا يفكر بالعودة الى لبنان، «لكن موضوع الحدائق العامة في بيروت لا سيما الصنائع يهمني كثيرا لأنه جزء من هويتي وذاكرتي».
وهناك مجموعة أخرى أبصرت النور بعنوان «منقذو الصنائع» تدعو الى دعم سكان الصنائع في منع تنفيذ المشروع. ونشرت المجموعة عريضة لجمع التواقيع المناهضة للمشروع.
يشير احد أنصار المجموعة: «قبل ما تتشاطروا على حديقة الصنائع اللي ربيوا فيها جدودنا وأولادنا، روحوا وقفوا الكسارات!»، ويعلّق زياد ببساطة: «اتبعوا المال».
وتعهّد نبيل بعدم السماح لأحد بـ«المسّ بهذه الحديقة الثمينة». كذلك، هناك مجموعة ثالثة بعنوان: «أنقذوا حديقة الصنائع» تنشط في الاتجاه ذاته.
ولن يتم إلغاء تلك المجموعات، كونها باتت تحوي ذكريات كثيرة تجمع المواطن اللبناني بالحديقة الجميلة.
ومع إمكانية التراجع عن القرار، باتت أشجار الحديقة التي يعود تاريخها الى مئات السنين، تعيش بأمان اليوم. ولن يفتقد الاطفال المكان الذي يلجأون اليه في نهاية الأسبوع مع دراجاتهم الهوائية، وكراتهم. كذلك، لن يهجر العاطلون عن العمل مقاعدهم الخشبية... ولن يتوقف المسنون عن قراءة الصحف ولعب طاولة الزهر. وستبقى الحديقة بانتظار روادها من العائلات التي جلبت معها المأكولات والمشروبات لتفترش الأرض الحرّة من الكلفة ومن السلطة.
يذكر أن تاريخ حديقة الصنائع يعود الى العام 1908، حين أنشأ السلطان عبد الحميد الثاني في منطقة «حي الرمال» مدرسة مهنية لتعليم الصنائع والفنون حيث كانت كلية الحقوق سابقا ووزارة الداخلية حاليا. وفي العام ذاته، تم افتتاح حديقة الصنائع التي أقيمت على أرض تبرع بها آل طيارة، فتغير الاسم الى منطقة الصنائع.
ورغم تطمينات رئيس البلدية لسكان المنطقة، يبقى السؤال المخيف معلقاً: هل ستتم العودة الى مشروع تحويل الحديقة الى مرأب مجددا، بعد الانتهاء من الانتخابات النيابية؟
لكن، قبل اتخاذ أي قرار بحق الحديقتين، على أولي الأمر أن يأخذوا بعين الاعتبار أهالي وشباباً ثاروا جداً عند شيوع خبر المرأب، وكانوا جاهزين لأن يدافعوا عن حدائقهم حتى آخر لحظة.
سيعود هؤلاء للاعتراض، إن ظهرت جرّافة أمام المساحة العامة شبه الوحيدة في عاصمة الباطون والدخان.
فمن حق العواصم وأهلها أن يتنفسوا، بحرّية.


http://assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=1247&articleId=2892&ChannelId=28747&Author=????%20??????

Hersh Tebet

http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs39/f/2008/366/6/9/wooden_shade_by_ghazayel.jpg


http://fc03.deviantart.com/fs39/f/2008/366/b/d/go_under__D_by_ghazayel.jpg


http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs39/f/2008/366/8/b/under_10_not_21__D_by_ghazayel.jpg

i dont think that that is hersh tabet; i think that's renee m3awad park

nope im 100% positive about the first two :)
while the 3d could be , but it looks more like Hersh Tebet.

the city of beirut decided to build underground parkings under two of the biggest parks in beirut sanaye3 and sioufi, which means they would have to get rid of all the old trees in these parks in order to build the parking, and even if they recreate the gardens, they d only be able to replant small trees as there wouldn t be enuff soil for large trees to grow..

it s official, beirut is governed by morons, but so is the rest of the country :bash::bash:





Beirut municipality halts plans to build parking lots under gardens
Public outcry puts project on hold
By Dalila Mahdawi
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, June 02, 2009


BEIRUT: Beirut Municipality has put on indefinite hold a controversial plan to build parking lots under Beirut's only two public gardens after a coalition of local residents rallied opposition to the project. Government officials had been "exploring the idea" of building large parking lots under the Sanayeh and Sioufi gardens to accommodate the city's growing population, Mayor Abed al-Monim Ariss told The Daily Star on Monday. "What the municipality thought of is nothing new and has been done all over the world," Ariss said, citing similar projects in Cairo, London, Monte Carlo and Paris.

The project has stalled in its preliminary stages after local residents and Lebanese as far away as the United Kingdom condemned what they saw as the last nails in the coffin for Beirut's green spaces.

"We understand their concerns," Mayor Ariss said. "We will never take any action that does not meet the wishes of the people." He nevertheless pointed to a desperate and growing need for parking facilities in Beirut, which hosts around 800,000 cars every day. "I hope people realize that if we [municipality] think of something, we think about it for the benefit of the community," he said. If the project does ever come to fruition, the entrances and exits to the parking lots will be situated on surrounding streets and not affect either of the gardens' vegetation, he added.

Although the project has been put on hold, the anger it has aroused is continuing to make ripples, with many saying the government has destroyed Lebanon's once-cherished reputation as a haven of lush greenery in the otherwise arid Middle East.

"If these spaces go, the [leafy campus of] The American University of Beirut will be the only one left," said Randa Zaiter, a resident of Sanayeh who helped mobilize opposition to the plan. She pointed not only to the historical importance of the park, which features an Ottoman fountain, but also to the site's humanitarian role. During the July 2006 conflict with Israel, Sanayeh was transformed into a massive camp for displaced Lebanese.


Roula Ajouz, who sits on the public gardens committee at the Beirut Municipality said that the parking lot project had been grossly misinterpreted by the community. "The decision was to see how to create a parking lot for the area without harming the gardens or cutting the trees," many of which are hundreds of years old.

"I assure you on behalf of most of the members of the city council that we would never accept to harm the gardens," said Ajouz, pointing to a "desperate need" for more green spaces in the capital.

"I think it's about time that us Lebanese start having a say in the policies that influence the formation of our public space ... Every Lebanese has 0.1 square meters of green space ... while in other countries like England an individual has a right to 25 square meters," said blogger Lama Bizri.

But according to Fadi Shaaya, an architect and urban planner writing a book about public space in Beirut, local residents were denied information about the project when they met with municipality officials. "The residents asked to see plans for the project but the municipality refused," he said, lamenting the lack of transparency. "If there are plans, why can't we see them?"

Source: The Daily Star
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=102563

anyone has any images of the garden of forgiveness? I can't seem to find any online. I have only come across the landscaping plans and renderings of what it would look like. but no real photos.

beirut is a depressing concrete jungle, look at this

beirut
http://fortheloveofblush.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/day201220-20getting_closer_to_beirut.jpg

montreal

http://www.bigboysguesthouse.com/images/Montreal-Olympic-Stadium.jpg

Agreed, but don't forget that from 75 to 90 there was no urban planning whatsover involved in constructing new projects (not that after 1990 there was any lol). Canada on the other hand is one of the richest nations on earth...but still, it's sad to see something like that.

yes inadittion to the fact that beirut has a warmer climate than that of montereal , where i bet u dont have 100 shiny day in a year

yes inadittion to the fact that beirut has a warmer climate than that of montereal , where i bet u dont have 100 shiny day in a year

is beirut warmer than los angeles also?

it has nothing to do with the weather, it has to do with complete lack of planning and zoning in Beirut, the trees that make montreal, los angeles.. look green didnt magically appear there, there are laws to oblige people who are building outside of the downtown core to plant trees around the property.

It seems however that the whole concept of durable development hasnt arrived in the middle east yet and instead of trying to embellish the city by planting trees and creating parks, the municipality of Beirut is much more busy approving towering monstrosities that are destroying some of the only areas where there are any traces of lebanese architecture left in the city like sursock and gemmayze.
But after all if dubai the most plastic and unauthentic place on the face of planet earth is doing it then i guess that is the right path for beirut to follow

http://www.khurramhashmi.org/move-to-California/images/Kenneth_Hahn_Park_Los_Angeles_0001.JPG

is beirut warmer than los angeles also?

it has nothing to do with the weather, it has to do with complete lack of planning and zoning in Beirut, the trees that make montreal, los angeles.. look green didnt magically appear there, there are laws to oblige people who are building outside of the downtown core to plant trees around the property.

It seems however that the whole concept of durable development hasnt arrived in the middle east yet and instead of trying to embellish the city by planting trees and creating parks, the municipality of Beirut is much more busy approving towering monstrosities that are destroying some of the only areas where there are any traces of lebanese architecture left in the city like sursock and gemmayze.
But after all if dubai the most plastic and unauthentic place on the face of planet earth is doing it then i guess that is the right path for beirut to follow

http://www.khurramhashmi.org/move-to-California/images/Kenneth_Hahn_Park_Los_Angeles_0001.JPG

yes LA is a desert Beirut is not. You have a good point, but don't forget that beirut lacks the space that LA has. besides LA is an urban disaster where the suburbs have grown uncontrolibly, it isn't even human friendly. It was designed for vehicular traffic, where beirut on the other hand is more hospitable to the human scale. if you want to compare cities to Beirut I would compare Athens, Istanboul, tartous, Tel Aviv, alexandria, etc. you know cities with similar geographic/political boundaries.

for the last decade. It's never been put into place. I don't know that we could expect much from it anyway, but it would have been a start. At least some of the sprawl that is beginning to threaten the rich farmland of the Bekaa might be halted (see the concrete mess and ugly warehouses right next to the Masaya winery - not much comparison to Tuscany or Napa valley, but only because someone had the right to build such horror right next to a nicely developed little winery and on top of 15 feet of rich topsoil!). I don't know whether it contains set back rules, but maybe new developments outside major urban areas would be regulated so that some type of setbacks from property lines are mandated and enforced (OK, maybe just mandated...). Will amend this post later if I find the link to the plan.

Re Beirut itself the point Lebnani made really touches a nerve. What is coming down now in Beirut to make way for new developments is not the cheaply built 10 storey faded paint concrete buildings of the '60s - '70s (with the exception of the Carleton...), it's the 2-3 storey houses with gardens of the end of the 19th/beginning of the 20th century. I keep drumming on the issue of the other bit of still-born legislation - the air rights law - because in Lebanon, where individual economic interests are so zealously guarded, it's the only way to give preservation a chance...

Definitly Lebanon is a beautiful country!!! NICE LEBANON! ;)

This is in Bickfaya

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/223/dsc00821s.jpg

for the last decade. It's never been put into place. I don't know that we could expect much from it anyway, but it would have been a start. At least some of the sprawl that is beginning to threaten the rich farmland of the Bekaa might be halted (see the concrete mess and ugly warehouses right next to the Masaya winery - not much comparison to Tuscany or Napa valley, but only because someone had the right to build such horror right next to a nicely developed little winery and on top of 15 feet of rich topsoil!). I don't know whether it contains set back rules, but maybe new developments outside major urban areas would be regulated so that some type of setbacks from property lines are mandated and enforced (OK, maybe just mandated...). Will amend this post later if I find the link to the plan.

Re Beirut itself the point Lebnani made really touches a nerve. What is coming down now in Beirut to make way for new developments is not the cheaply built 10 storey faded paint concrete buildings of the '60s - '70s (with the exception of the Carleton...), it's the 2-3 storey houses with gardens of the end of the 19th/beginning of the 20th century. I keep drumming on the issue of the other bit of still-born legislation - the air rights law - because in Lebanon, where individual economic interests are so zealously guarded, it's the only way to give preservation a chance...



I always get angry when i see the new projects that are always gettin taller and uglyer as we are in the 2009 the projects mostly are not modern nor pretty.and the planning ohhhh my God when i see pictures taken from the airplane u see just ugly grey concrete city facing the ocean!!!they said after beirut that in aramound and other places they have to limit the buildings on 4 floors and hv a space next to the other buildinsg of like 3 meters so they dont get attached like in beirut but also there its not going on as it should.after all beirut is special and beautiful just coz of the flair there but the lack of planing and green spaces mess it all up!would rather prefer new york:P

I thought there was a thread for Samir Kassir public square but I couldn't find it. Anyone noticed how disproportionate the statue is? It looks his feet were made too small for the body. I unfortunately couldn't take any other pictures since the guard that was walking there told me I couldn't...

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/5184/kassir.jpg

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/307/kassir2.jpg

MARTYRS SQUARE:

Before the War:

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/11martyr-varoujan.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/Martyr27s20Square2060s20BORJ.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/Old20Martyrs20Square2002201970.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/Old20Martyrs20Square2003201970.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/Old_martyrs_monument_1970.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/el-burj-jons.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/martyrs2bn4.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/martyrs3qv2.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/martyrs4yz5.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/martyrs5mx6.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/martyrs7bj9.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/martyrsoldas0.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/psepia3.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/psepia3.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/untitled-2.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/untitled-2.jpg

After the War:

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/-MartyrsSquareStatueBeiruti-1992.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/800px-Martyrs_Square_1982.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/Martyr27s20Square20197820BORJ.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/sb10066434h-001.jpg

Today:

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/56544281_5588128705.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/2-1.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/14-03-2005-a0.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/12-03-2005-c.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/12-03-2005-b.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/56544296_140ead7cab.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/5c0f02b4.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/81278241.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/81328432.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/Beiruit20demonstration.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/Beirut_Christmas_Christmas_tree_Leb.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/PH2008021400952.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/_42349598_cathedral_afp416.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/_44427638_ap416statue.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/beirut.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/beirut2.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/c10fa6ee.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/haririlebanon_hariri_rallysff_198.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/lebanon352largezr0.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/mika20in20beirut2002.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/mp_main_wide_MartyrsSquare452.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/xmas-tree-420x255.jpg

Beirut municipality halts plans to build parking lots under gardens
Public outcry puts project on hold
By Dalila Mahdawi
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, June 02, 2009


BEIRUT: Beirut Municipality has put on indefinite hold a controversial plan to build parking lots under Beirut's only two public gardens after a coalition of local residents rallied opposition to the project. Government officials had been "exploring the idea" of building large parking lots under the Sanayeh and Sioufi gardens to accommodate the city's growing population, Mayor Abed al-Monim Ariss told The Daily Star on Monday. "What the municipality thought of is nothing new and has been done all over the world," Ariss said, citing similar projects in Cairo, London, Monte Carlo and Paris.

The project has stalled in its preliminary stages after local residents and Lebanese as far away as the United Kingdom condemned what they saw as the last nails in the coffin for Beirut's green spaces.

"We understand their concerns," Mayor Ariss said. "We will never take any action that does not meet the wishes of the people." He nevertheless pointed to a desperate and growing need for parking facilities in Beirut, which hosts around 800,000 cars every day. "I hope people realize that if we [municipality] think of something, we think about it for the benefit of the community," he said. If the project does ever come to fruition, the entrances and exits to the parking lots will be situated on surrounding streets and not affect either of the gardens' vegetation, he added.

Although the project has been put on hold, the anger it has aroused is continuing to make ripples, with many saying the government has destroyed Lebanon's once-cherished reputation as a haven of lush greenery in the otherwise arid Middle East.

"If these spaces go, the [leafy campus of] The American University of Beirut will be the only one left," said Randa Zaiter, a resident of Sanayeh who helped mobilize opposition to the plan. She pointed not only to the historical importance of the park, which features an Ottoman fountain, but also to the site's humanitarian role. During the July 2006 conflict with Israel, Sanayeh was transformed into a massive camp for displaced Lebanese.


Roula Ajouz, who sits on the public gardens committee at the Beirut Municipality said that the parking lot project had been grossly misinterpreted by the community. "The decision was to see how to create a parking lot for the area without harming the gardens or cutting the trees," many of which are hundreds of years old.

"I assure you on behalf of most of the members of the city council that we would never accept to harm the gardens," said Ajouz, pointing to a "desperate need" for more green spaces in the capital.

"I think it's about time that us Lebanese start having a say in the policies that influence the formation of our public space ... Every Lebanese has 0.1 square meters of green space ... while in other countries like England an individual has a right to 25 square meters," said blogger Lama Bizri.

But according to Fadi Shaaya, an architect and urban planner writing a book about public space in Beirut, local residents were denied information about the project when they met with municipality officials. "The residents asked to see plans for the project but the municipality refused," he said, lamenting the lack of transparency. "If there are plans, why can't we see them?"

Source: The Daily Star
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=102563

I was wondering if these park projects were still on hold... I feel like this should be the biggest project right now seeing beirut barely has enough parking as it is.. and not to mention almost no public parks.

http://publicspacebeirut.wordpress.com/beshara-el-khouri/
my idea for beshara el khoury

http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/102.jpg?w=500&h=375
Location of beshara el khouri:
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/beirut-map1.jpg?w=500&h=301

The role of beshara el khoury’s square comes from its relationship with the city, it stands on the intersection of airport road, Damascus avenue and the inner loop which contains most of the surviving historical elements.

Integrating with context:
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/site-copy1.jpg?w=500&h=374

The issue raised here is favoring avenues that become normal boundaries for local development of areas around them. On a local level, we can clearly see the gap created in time. The statue stands on the corner and on the other side a bunch of unused lots and streets. Now if these lots were developed within their current placement and under the local building code, the extens of the space will be ruined, and one of these buildings will replace the statue as a momunemt because of its height.

Existing plaza:
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/221.jpg?w=500&h=266

The existing plaza is an elevated platform containing geen areas and benches, tiled following the statue on 45° with a stone wall on the back giving value for the oversized statue, keeping the human scale and enveloping the space.
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/copy-of-releve-model1.jpg?w=501&h=215


The existence of a monument on the intersection of two major roads turned the square into a destination for commuters. But still it has a poor economic infrastructure. Along with other factors the wall that brought value to the oversized statue interrupted the local development of the area behind it.
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/dsc045111.jpg?w=300&h=225
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/dsc045201.jpg?w=300&h=225

Context:
Here we see the impact of the issues we mentioned earlier clear on the ground. The undeveloped areas caused cloudy unclear perspectives as well as lack of visual limitation of the space.
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/dsc04513.jpg?w=299&h=222
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/dsc04504.jpg?w=300&h=225

The underpass:
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/17.jpg?w=500&h=266

When i stated working on this i leanrt that the authorities are planning to build an underpass to ease traffic. But driving us between two walls into endless corridors with disregard to all intersection. The proposed underpass should be integrated in a design that won’t affect the components of the plaza, leaving room for human interaction on the surface. This could be ensured by using the slope on the north side as entrance and reconciling the rest of the plot.
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/25.jpg?w=500&h=266


A square is formed by the buildings the surround it, acting as a defined limit. Here the spacial network is rebalanced by controlling future development within the local building code. New pedestrian spaces are created, with the 45° tiling expanded to these spaces that contain designated areas for public transport and a foot access to underground parking.
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/15.jpg?w=500&h=375


With a large portion of traffic flowing in the underpass or redirected to surrounding streets, people can move freely from the rest area to catch a cab or a bus.
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/24.jpg?w=500&h=315


An important factor in designing a new space is the relationship with the old one. Aside from the tiling, planted bands with benches along them will direct our view to the oversized statue looking this way. With vertical pine trees providing the same function as the stone wall with a softer touch.
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/21.jpg?w=500&h=266


As part of the human activities in the space, the design will provide calmer areas, with the human scale insured by the shape and height of the new development, and integrating existing trees in the design. The sitting area is enclosed by more natural elements. The relationship between the new space and the new development will provide the needed economic infrastructure.
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/263.jpg?w=500&h=266


As for public transport, the accessible new spaces in the middle contains an area for waiting and a designated area for transport vehicles.

Underground parking:
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/27.jpg?w=500&h=266
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/copy-of-copy-of-oct-11-model.jpg?w=500&h=375


For too long parked cars have invaded our public space. With the an underpass proposed for the plaza, a simple solution can be adopted. By using the rest of the public area under the plaza for at least two floors, we can provide parking space for more than 200 cars. Vehicular access would be from surrounding streets, while foot access will be from within the plaza. While people driving their cars through the underpass can still get a feel of the plaza.
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/31.jpg?w=500&h=266


At night, the space will provide a sense of security for its users, as well as being an attractive astethical feature of our city.
http://publicspacebeirut.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/30.jpg?w=500&h=266


the new space will be a space for human interaction, public communal gatherings and a space for civic cohexistance and acceptance.

I don't like the pedestrian island placed in the middle of the avenue (airport road). The underpass that will be built will ease traffic from cars travelling to and from the BCD on the airport road. However traffic coming in from both sides of the inner-ring (Independance ave.) will not be affected.
If you look at your 3rd photo (Google Earth view), you can see that the majority of traffic (at least when the photo was taken) is that of cars coming in from Airport road northbound, turning left onto Independance ave.
The pedestrian island which you propose (11th photo) will be a nightmare for commuters who, once off the bus, will have to cross the road onto El Khoury square or the pavement on the other side.

I don't like the choice of trees. Pine trees will take up to 40 years to grow to a mature height. They also offer little shade, and are not practical.
Plane trees or sycamore trees are a better choice I think. They grow about 2 meters per year, and more importantly are decidiouse making them useful all year round.

I like the way the parking spaces are directly accessed via the Square. This means people with cars can park outside the very center of beirut, and continue with public transport, avoiding traffic and so on.

Sorry, but i really do hate the use of cyprus trees on the triangular traffic island. Again, the cyprusses are not very nice trees, and in this case will serve no purpose. Again I strongly suggest in this case ONE fast-growing (american) sycamore tree in the center of the triangle, which will create a focal point to that space. That is important because this traffic island seems to be somewhere in the middle of the cross roads.


Is this a competition you're working on by the way?

did you read before you comment?

The underpass that will be built will ease traffic from cars travelling to and from the BCD on the airport road. However traffic coming in from both sides of the inner-ring (Independance ave.) will not be affected. If you look at your 3rd photo (Google Earth view), you can see that the majority of traffic (at least when the photo was taken) is that of cars coming in from Airport road northbound, turning left onto Independance ave.

this isn't my choice, and the image is not a reference. a private company counted the cars and decided that an underpass should be built. i didn't propose the underpass. if anything i'm against it.
this design will adapt the underpass within the plaza, since road engineers aren't good planners. and they'll end up ruining it.

The pedestrian island which you propose (11th photo) will be a nightmare for commuters who, once off the bus, will have to cross the road onto El Khoury square or the pavement on the other side.

well, i studied closely the habits of people there, and it seems that people have a 28cm wide space where they wait for buses, the idea of the island is simple. since you have most of the flow (60 000 cars daily) going in the underpass, only buses and cabs will use this section, they drop people off, cars from BCD to sodeco then move left blocking traffic, at this points peds have the entire section of the road to move for about 45 seconds.

I don't like the choice of trees. Pine trees will take up to 40 years to grow to a mature height. They also offer little shade, and are not practical.
Plane trees or sycamore trees are a better choice I think. They grow about 2 meters per year, and more importantly are decidiouse making them useful all year round.

again, as written above the vertical trees are just to keep the human scale, they're an aesthetic feature, they're not suppose to grow.

I like the way the parking spaces are directly accessed via the Square. This means people with cars can park outside the very center of beirut, and continue with public transport, avoiding traffic and so on.

this is in no way an idea to serve solidere. this parking is for local use only... it's presence is to sew a torn up part of the city. it's an urbanism approach for local socio economic issues.

Sorry, but i really do hate the use of cyprus trees on the triangular traffic island. Again, the cyprusses are not very nice trees, and in this case will serve no purpose. Again I strongly suggest in this case ONE fast-growing (american) sycamore tree in the center of the triangle, which will create a focal point to that space. That is important because this traffic island seems to be somewhere in the middle of the cross roads.

again with the trees... i don't need a focal point there. my focal point is the oversized statue. i have in no way the right to change the historic identity of the place. it is stuck in the global memory of everyone who passes there.
it is my responsibility as an architect to preserve this identity

Is this a competition you're working on by the way?

no this is a solution i'm proposing since they're (not me) building an underpass. it is a chance to preserve an element of the city and create a functional urban space

Adam362, any way to work on an alternative, slightly bigger change which would allow you to consolidate the pedestrian space? Perhaps by bringing together the surface roads which currently criss cross and divide up the whole area, and having them run along two edges of the square, while moving the statue to a location within the consolidated vehicle-free space? One of the roads along the edge, running roughly over and in the same direction as the underpass, would be the feeder to the other road perpendicular to it and leading to the neighborhoods to the left and right, marking lines which could then be subject to normal commercial development. The statue and its wall could then be moved to an area within the enlarged and consolidated square, where the wall would no longer interfere with commerce but could be used to set off a space from whatever traffic there is, as well as to draw attention to the statue, which would not then be subject to being overwhelmed by a tall building right behind it.
Would be interesting to see how an architect freed up by the new underpass could 'break the current surface road pattern out of its box' and create a completely different and new major urban space...

did you read before you comment?

Why the attitude? If you're 100% satisfied with your design, then there is very little point posting it on a forum for people to share their opinion. You could have simply provided a link to your blog.

It's good but we need more trees and green space included.

Hariri Memorial
http://i45.tinypic.com/2a93cc0.jpg
courtesy of manutd619

^^

Looks liek they are restarted renovation works on the building

Does anyone else think the Harriri memorial is mis-designed. Why did they put an offcenter square in a triangle? They should have utilized the entire space

Ide like to see trees..a mini park with benches overlooking the marina

^^i think there is such a plan as part of the reclaimed area

^^ its part of the Town Quay Project

http://www.stevenholl.com/media/files/325/upperplatform---W-PROJECT-H.jpg

I meant on the Hariri memorial..there should be some trees there instead of just grass

Sanayeh Garden, courtesy of Zari :

http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/962/4009697758462e307483.jpg

Does anyone know the story behind the Ramlet el Bayda park:
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=33.8788734&lon=35.4821223&z=18&l=0&m=b

France to help boost number of green spaces, improve lighting in Beirut

Daily Star staff
Tuesday, January 19, 2010

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BEIRUT: The Municipality of Beirut and the French Development Agency (FDA) signed on Monday an agreement to increase green spaces in the Lebanese capital, improve its lighting and profit from unused public spaces. The French Ambassador to Lebanon Denis Pietton, the director of FDA in Beirut Donny Cassa and the director of the City and Local Governments Organization in Lebanon Bashir Odaymeh signed the agreement that granted Lebanon about 350,000 euros.

Beirut Mayor Abdel-Monem al-Ariss said the money would be used “to prepare plans for a green belt and a bicycle path surrounding the city,” and create “a safe trail for Lebanese of all ages.”

He added that a second project that the money would be used for consisted of increasing green zones in Beirut.

Ariss said the plan to make the capital greener started several years ago and the municipality has taken several decisions to turn real estate into public parks.

The mayor then presented a third project to benefit from about 3,000 unused spaces and convert them into public areas that “reflect the views of our youth and our love for developing the city.”

A fourth project the agreement would help accomplish was lighting public areas and profiting from solar energy to reduce petrol-produced energy.

Pietton said FDA’s role fell withinin the framework of aid presented to Lebanon during the Paris III donors’ summit.

He stressed that Beirut had many resources and that it could make use of them with the help of France, especially after a collaboration agreement was signed in December 2009 between Beirut, FDA, Ile de France and the Technical Office of Lebanese Cities.

Amazing newssssss .... this is for me way much better than building a whole new modern Beirut that has no green spaeces ... A big Thanks to France :)

Amazing newssssss .... this is for me way much better than building a whole new modern Beirut that has no green spaeces ... A big Thanks to France :)

now lets hope this money is only invested on greenspaces ;)
i bet if we send an insepctor to the municipality he will only find half of the amount left!

loool ramy i am afraid this is somehow true... yet i would like to see even half of the money invested in greenspaces, it's still much better than no money at all hehehe....

loool ramy i am afraid this is somehow true... yet i would like to see even half of the money invested in greenspaces, it's still much better than no money at all hehehe....

unfortunately!

http://favicon.daylife.com/imageserve/08tlf4ggBr888/favicon.png REUTERS PICTURES

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/08z6fO7f5j4x2/610x.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0807bN32JuaJw/610x.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/05vL5En5sl8LG/x610.jpg

A wrapped, yet-to-be-unveiled statue of Lebanon's assassinated former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri is seen in a garden in front of the government palace in Beirut January 21, 2011.

Will this place even be public? Ie. Can I actually go sit there with my gf? lol

It looks great so far

^^ Any pics of this now that I'm assuming it's complete?

Does anyone know the story behind the Ramlet el Bayda park:
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=33.8788734&lon=35.4821223&z=18&l=0&m=b


Re-asking my question in case anyone missed it.

Indeed I missed it...

This park was operational before 1975, albeit for a short period of time. During the war years, the whole area became "not public", due to the presence of the "Beau Rivage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beau_Rivage_(Beirut))" hotel, which was the Headquarters of the Syrian intelligence in Lebanon. The parallel upper road to the main Ramlet El Bayda boulevard was closed for "security" reasons, and the park became neglected with the rest of the area.

The large palm trees that you see now in there were planted before the war.

There were some talks about renovating it to its former glory, but the problem is that it needs a constant maintenance, along with dedicated services. (fence, lighting fixtures, guards, toilets, drinking water...etc)

Those things will cost money, and this is why the municipality is delaying that project for now.

It will eventually get restored, but when, I have no idea...

^^ Any pics of this now that I'm assuming it's complete?

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/54457034.jpg (http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/54457034.jpg)
(click on the picture to view a larger version)

June 20
Courtesy of Samer M.Ahmad, on Panoramio

--

Ramy, It's not really a public park, it's a memorial square, like the Riad El Solh square near the ESCWA. It's public in theory, but due to its proximity to the Serail, it's fenced (as you can see in the picture), and obviously cameras and (local) visitors are not that welcomed.

^^ Nice! At least it is visible from street level.



Indeed I missed it...

This park was operational before 1975, albeit for a short period of time. During the war years, the whole area became "not public", due to the presence of the "Beau Rivage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beau_Rivage_%28Beirut%29)" hotel, which was the Headquarters of the Syrian intelligence in Lebanon. The parallel upper road to the main Ramlet El Bayda boulevard was closed for "security" reasons, and the park became neglected with the rest of the area.

The large palm trees that you see now in there were planted before the war.

There were some talks about renovating it to its former glory, but the problem is that it needs a constant maintenance, along with dedicated services. (fence, lighting fixtures, guards, toilets, drinking water...etc)

Those things will cost money, and this is why the municipality is delaying that project for now.

It will eventually get restored, but when, I have no idea...

Thanks for the background information. It's unfortunate that such a large park with such an amazing view in such a high-end neighborhood could be left in this deteriorating condition for so long. You would think the surrounding residents would be pressuring the municipality to do something.

I vaguely remember an article in the Daily Star, from long ago, quoting a woman from the municipality regarding the Ramlet el Baida open space. Things may have changed ten times since then (with none of us the wiser - such is the level of accountability to the public that officials feel, and that we seem to demand), but she essentially said something like "Sorry, but residents of a high-end neighborhood don't need a public park given that the land could be used for much needed financing for projects elsewhere." Zero sum game, as we so often hear. But again, it was long ago (and my memory could be faulty) ...

Gibran Tueni memorial , next to Le Gray

http://www.annahar.com/media/images/15/albalad/Place%20Gebran%20Tueni-ph-Nasser%20Trabulsi-08%20640x360.jpg


http://www.annahar.com/media/images/15/albalad/Place%20Gebran%20Tueni-ph-Nasser%20Trabulsi-42%20640x360.jpg

Source: annahar newspaper

Courtsy of Nasser Traboulsi

https://p.twimg.com/Ag0WeJ5CQAAsJMm.jpg

https://p.twimg.com/Ag0WID2CMAInxgR.jpg

Zeytouneh Square
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1434095

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7171/6683427357_52e87633ff_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlitto/6683427357/)
Solidere Beirut (http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlitto/6683427357/) by Charles Hajj (http://www.flickr.com/people/carlitto/), on Flickr

Sanayeh Garden - A Park’s Revival
17 Apr 2012 | By Beirut Green Project

Beirut Green Project recently met with Head of municipality Mr. Bilal Hamad for a quick update about René Moawad Garden; also known as Sanayeh garden.

This historical garden is the oldest in Beirut. It was first called The Hamidi Public Garden when it was first built in 1907; the public for decades referred to it as Sanayeh. It was then renamed in honor of President René Moawad who was assassinated on November 22, 1989 not far from the garden.


This article was posted on Beirut Green Project’s blog (beirutgreenproject.wordpress.com) Wednesday April 11, 2012

http://www.archileb.com/dbpics/General-Images/Featured%20News/2012/Sanayeh%20Garden-Beirut%20Green%20Project-04-2012/Sanayeh-Garden-Beirut-Green-Project-04-2012-Body-01.jpg
Photo by Zari (just ZHM) http://www.flickr.com/photos/justzhm/4009697758/in/photostream/

The garden is highly visited by the people, as it presents more than 22000m2 of open green space, one of the largest public spaces in the capital. However, it is in bad shape. In a series of interviews and surveys done by Green Line association in 2011, people mostly complained about:

- The toilets that are not working.
- The limited number of security guards.
- Lack of maintenance of the greenery and the big empty water fountain.
- The bad shape of the children’s play area.

Beirut Green Project and Green Line met with head of municipality Mr. Bilal Hamad two weeks ago to discuss a proposal of ideas for the park’s revival and enhancement. We were glad to hear about the municipality’s plan for renovating the park. They will be choosing a design for the park by the end of April 2012, and the renovations would start in summer 2012. He announced that by 2013, the park would be renovated and ready. We discussed a few ideas to put in place, and he showed great interest for new ideas that would help revive and rehabilitate Sanayeh garden.

We are meeting with him again in two weeks with a final proposal of ideas to adopt for the park. So this is when we want to hear from you!

Do you go to Sanayeh garden? Why or why not? What would you improve in it? Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey about Sanayeh garden to help us come to a complete proposal to the municipality.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LBVRL8K

If you also have old pictures of Sanayeh garden, please send them over to beirutgreenproject@gmail.com with the subject line: Sanayeh garden picture.

Hopefully, this proposal will be worked on in partnership with the municipality of Beirut and applied to Sanayeh, serving as an example to be adapted to the other public gardens of the city.

Source: http://www.archileb.com

$50 million community center planned for Beirut
Replacing Tarik Jdeede stadium with parking, green park, and library awaits Cabinet approval

A grand community center is planned for Beirut by end-2013, according to Bilal Hamad, head of the Municipality of Beirut.

The new center is set to replace the municipal football stadium in Tarik Jdeede. It will include football fields, a public park, a kids’ playground, as well as a public library and a multiuse assembly. A parking with a capacity to hold up to 2500 cars will be constructed beneath the center.

The municipal stadium will be relocated to Qasqas, facing the horse race track. “This area is less populated and will be better location for the stadium,” Hamad said.

The $50 million-plan needs the Cabinet’s approval. According to Hamad, the plots will be ready in the second quarter of 2013. If approved, the project will be up for contracting by the end of next year.

Reported by Abeer Darwiche

^^ Awesome news! Now let's hope this gets approved quickly...please keep us updated.

Sanayeh Garden rehabilitation plan and according to one member of Beirut city council, the work has started.

http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/602608_286560151463950_1435940238_n.jpg

Beirut Municipal Council's Aspiration of Sioufi Garden:

http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/14280_287373254715973_723073498_n.jpg