The public consultation on the development of II. János Pál pápa tér is now closed. You can now read the package of proposals produced during the process and a summary of what can be expected in the square in the near future.

What was the aim of the public consultation process?

The Municipality of Józsefváros – in cooperation with the owner of the park, the Municipality of Budapest – wanted to know the needs of the groups that use the square, so that it can renew the park. The Municipality’s aim is to create a park where everyone feels at home and where people can do the activities they like, respecting each other and the space, and protecting the green spaces.

What happened during the public consultation?

• A needs assessment survey was carried out with the participation of more than 450 park users to find out their needs and experiences before future improvements were made.
• The process was coordinated by the  Office of Community Participation of the Municipality of Józsefváros.
• As part of the process, a needs assessment questionnaire, a public forum and a traffic count were carried out. A detailed summary of these can be found here.

What is the package of proposals about?

Based on more than 600 suggestions made during the public consultation, the package of proposals is divided into three parts: 1) dog-friendly improvements to the park, 2) smaller-scale improvements, and 3) larger-scale and longer-term improvements.

The working group made up of residents and experts made specific proposals for the following:

• the development and implementation of an integrated park where people with and without dogs can co-exist peacefully,
• the operation and management of the park, and
• possible directions for development in terms of catering activities.

In addition, the set of proposals includes feedback on the maintenance of the park.

What do park users want most?

Based on the needs assessment and the discussions in the working group, it is clear that the main needs of the users of II. János Pál pápa tér are:

• to improve the quality and regularity of maintenance, rather than or in addition to further development,
• that the protection of green spaces should be a priority for any development or intervention in the park.

What happens to the package of proposals?

The package of proposals will be submitted to the decision-makers of the two municipalities, so that they can make financial decisions on the timing and the interventions in the park. At the moment, we can report in detail on the smaller-scale improvements.

What improvements will be made to II. János Pál pápa tér in the near future?

The preparation and implementation of two large-scale developments have already started on behalf of the Municipality of Budapest and the Municipality of Józsefváros:

• The construction of a new public toilet, which was voted for by the people of Budapest in the 2020 participatory budgeting, has started,
• The preparation and planning of the grassing of the square and the construction of the necessary irrigation system is underway, the first phase of which is planned to be completed by the two municipalities in the first half of 2024. This  is a prerequisite for the square to be used by the public as an integrated park.

Following the construction of the first phase of the irrigation system and the grassing of the area, the test period for II. János Pál pápa tér as an integrated park will begin with the following allocation based on the results of public consultation process. The exact details of the test period of the integrated park and the follow-up will be communicated to park users.

As a result of the public consultation process, the following dog-friendly improvements will be implemented in the near future, partly from the HUF 10 million budget of the idea titled “The Dog-Friendly Development of II. János Pál pápa tér” , which was won in the 2022 Józsefváros participatory budgeting, and partly from other sources:

• 20 new, larger-sized, bird-proof waste bins with spike holders will be placed in the park area to replace old, smaller-sized waste bins;
• 1 new drinking fountain with dog bowls;
• an upgraded CCTV system;
• the gate of the dog run will be relocated, which currently opens onto the jogging track. The new gate will be located next to the new public toilet that is currently being built, so hopefully there will be fewer conflicts between the users of the dog run and joggers.
• Following the construction of the new gate, the stony ground of the dog run will also be thinned to make it more comfortable to use.
• The building of the public toilet inside the fenced-off area will be decorated as part of a community art project.

Decisions on long-term improvements to the park are currently being prepared. The decision-makers will take into account a package of proposals before deciding on the future of the park. The decisions will be communicated to the public.

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