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Zrinski square
About 30,000 people live in Koprivnica, Croatia. Its public institutions define it as “a space of tradition, environmental, cultural and economic values”, close to the Drava river and the Kalnik mountain.
The Zrinski square is surrounded by coffee shops and stores. “A place defined by people fluxes and movement”, according to the architecture study which created it as is nowadays. So, it was the challenge: To reinvent this privileged space in order to promote interaction, humanity and life.€2 million euros made it possible. They took advantage of the square perimeter and created a collage of micro-localizations on which develop several, concrete activities. Two bike lines in X cross the square on the north. Based on them, the square is divided in twelve areas related to the closest building. The 15,000 squared meters square is colored by area and completed with urban furniture, including bike parking, and different surfaces. The objective of this project was to ban cars from it and time has demonstrated that it is possible and necessary. Today, there are not any cars there, but people and bikes.
Not surprisingly, Koprivnica is considered as the Croatian biking capital and cyclist are welcomed here. Indeed, there are metallic sculptures in the Zrinski square with bicycle shapes as homage to this essential way of transport.
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Senior citizen bikers
21% percent of Europeans are more than 65 and similar high figures present developed countries. It is a non-deniable fact that they represent an important part to such societies. Thus, it is necessary to analyze how we adapt to an ageing society. A lot of times proposals which foment “dependency” instead of “independence” implement actions to take. So, we need to change our viewpoint as it comes to sustainable mobility and particularly bicycles. Against the misconception of disabled people should buy a car to be independent, the reality shows that it promotes dependency on fuels, less physical activity compared with bikes and the need to adapt it to their disability.
Ageing or some disabling disease or accident can diminish our abilities and maintaining independence is fundamental for instance to go to the doctor or to movies. Indeed, Karel Dolekens (accessibility technician at the Breda council) affirms that there are no disabled people, the surroundings make disabled people. Building segregated bike lines, bike parking and promote their physical maintenance help making bicycles for everybody. Even in some cases people on crutches can use a cargobike, a tricycle or an e-bike. In The Netherlands, people over 65 use bicycles in the 30% of their daily movements.
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The tourists impact
As more and more tourists visit interesting cities and places, more impacts cause on them such as environmental impacts, water consumption increment which can cause dryness and water wells depletion, a boom in the price of houses as many touristic cities are suffering or fights against local inhabitants when drunks. Some reasons for such increment in tourism are social nets and the low cost flights. Indeed, there is the word touristification to describe the negatives consequences that cause an excessive number of tourists.
On the other hand, bicycles can be part of the solution. Take for example the EuroVelo 8 which goes through Turkey, France, Monaco, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Spain and Cyprus, and 23 world heritage cities. As the ciclotourism becomes more popular, pollution is reduced similarly as traffic problems, and strenghen links with local communities. Reaching this target is basic for a sustainable tourism and planning should be made thoroughly. Public administration should plan bike-friendly paths in order to connect cities and interesting places in advance, whereas ciclotourists should think previously where they will want to pedal on and which resources they will need in their trips.