In December, we proudly celebrated the end of the renovation at our opening event, where the Superar children’s choir performed, we decorated the Christmas tree in Losonci Square together and we sang Christmas carols at the concert by Romano Glaszo. Although the renovation of the square has been completed, some of the execution tasks will have to wait until spring due to the weather. We apologize for any inconvenience, we are working to resolve the issues as soon as possible.
Why has the permeable paving in the square not solidified?
We have received a lot of feedback about the paving between the green areas within the square, which has become muddy and uneven in many areas due to the wet weather at the end of December. The paving is officially called stabilized crushed gravel pavement and has been used in the Museum Garden and Orczy Garden, among others, in the district. The colour of the paving in Losonci Square is similar to the colour of the paving in the Bástya park in District V. It is applied using a natural, plant-based aggregate which, when compacted dry, becomes hard as concrete, yet permeable to water. This is a big advantage, as it cools the environment in summer, and the rainwater it absorbs is not wasted in the sewerage system, thus, avoiding unnecessary energy-intensive treatment at the sewage plant.
Due to the lot of rain in December, the material did not set in the wet weather, which caused a problem. During the drier spring months, the contractor will loosen and re-compact the surface to provide a good quality, solid pavement that will not need to be resurfaced for a long time. We apologise for any inconvenience caused, but unfortunately, such unforeseen problems can occur during a construction project.
New beds will be protected with hazel fencing!
The fences around the beds will protect the plants during in the early stages. The small fences have not been all fixed at first, so the contractor will strengthen them in the coming weeks, and the areas that are still empty today, will be planted out within a few months. The experience of Déri Miksa utca shows that the plants will be strong enough to get rid of the fences in a year or two. At the same time, the example of the Muzsikus Cigányok parkja shows that where plants are not protected in the early stages, they are easily trampled and can not strengthen.
We are improving the furniture too
We will also soon be putting the finishing touches to the furniture. The surface of the concrete seats is very rough at the moment, but we will soon be giving them a coloured coating to make them safer and more comfortable. We have also received feedback that there are not enough litter bins in some areas, so we will soon be adding 5 more bins to reduce litter in these areas . In early summer, we will also be installing shade covers to reducethe summer sun.
What else can we expect in Losonci tér?
This is the end of the current project, but in the future, we want to do more to make Losonci tér a coherent, safe, and pleasant common space. We are working on upgrading the street lighting: in the spring, the Budapesti Dísz-és Közvilágítási Kft. will replace the outdated lamps along the promenade with more powerful LED light sources, and the lighting development plans for the new squares have been drawn up. The protective tubes for the new chandeliers included in these plans have already been installed under the new paving so there will be no need to reopen it when the new lights are installed. The plan would improve lighting not only in the public spaces but also in the passageways leading to them, giving a uniform, high quality light and a sense of security to the whole area.
Further news and events in the square will be sent out in our newsletter. Thank you for your patience and co-operation and we look forward to your feedback.