Overcoming Socio-Economic Problems in Crisis Areas through Revitalization of Cittaslow Towns. Evidence from North-East Poland

Abstract

The revitalization of small towns is connected with an attempt to find multidirectional solutions to numerous social, economic and spatial problems. It is possible to remove degraded areas and areas with a high risk of social exclusion through coordinated and skillfully planned activities consisting of corrective interventions within these areas and, indirectly, in the whole structure of a small town. There are many studies on improving the quality of life of inhabitants at risk of exclusion in large cities. At the same time, there is a gap in the analyses of this phenomenon in small towns. In this article, we present the results of our observations on changes in the quality and living conditions of residents as a result of social projects implemented as part of the revitalization of marginalized areas in cities associated with the Cittaslow movement. The starting point is to identify the main socioeconomic problems and relate them to the effects of the revitalization activities carried out under the Supralocal Revitalization Program (SLRP). The study analyzed all projects that were a response to social problems in fourteen cities in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship (Poland). It was based on a quantitative assessment of the selected socioeconomic indicators and a qualitative assessment based on interviews with local experts. The results of the research indicate a reduction in unemployment in all the cities covered by the study. On the other hand, the results of the expert interview show that it is not directly influenced by the implemented revitalization projects. According to experts, after revitalization, the crime rate decreased insignificantly and the educational and professional involvement of residents from marginalized areas is still low. The results may give rise to the creation of scenarios to deal with the socioeconomic problems of the analyzed examples and recommendations for the revitalization of other Cittaslow towns in the region as well as small towns in Europe and the world.

Influence of Revitalization on the Social and Economic Well-Being of Residents: Case Study of Lithuania

“…The results of the study support the study of Sendi and Kerbler [19], who found that the creation of public spaces had a positive impact on the social connections of the residents. The results obtained and the example of the revitalization of the Žirm ūnai triangle analyzed are in line with the study of Zielinska-Szczepkowska, Jaszczak, and Žukovskis [59], who analyzed revitalization solutions in small towns that improved the sense of security, but the revitalization of the Žirm ūnai triangle did not lead to the creation of any new jobs. This study extends the study of Dsoiza et al [11] by providing an example of revitalization with clearly identified outcomes that could motivate residents to contribute to revitalization.…”

“…Revitalization in small towns had included the creation of public spaces, local frontages, social gathering places, and the renovation of natural places such as lakes and riversides. These solutions helped to create social links, as people become involved in organized events, met new people, and crime rates also decreased [59]. According to recent research, community revitalization projects that refurbished public places fostered social interactions, made it easier for newcomers to settle in, boosted neighborhood satisfaction, and enhanced their inhabitants' psychological well-being [60].…”

“…Park and Kim [33] found that the revitalization of the park had increased the sales of the surrounding stores, attracted more people, increased economic prosperity, and created new jobs. A study on the revitalization of small towns in Poland found that revitalization helped to create new jobs for locals but did not reduce the unemployment rate [59]. Lin, Huang, Fu, Chen, Zhao, Li, and Tzeng [63] and Hui, Chen, Lang, and Ou [43] discovered that revitalizing a neighborhood boosts the area's economic prosperity.…”

Social assessment of the paradigm of multifunctional rural development – A case study of the Mazowieckie voivodeship

“…The social function involves the improvement of the conditions and quality of life of residents of rural areas (Krzyminiewska, 2000;Majewski & Perepeczko, 2001;Fedyszak-Radziejowska, 2016), development of the social infrastructure (Kalinowski, 2003), development of non-material cultural heritage (Jalinik, 2006), revitalisation programmes activating the society (Zielińska-Szczepkowska et al, 2021;Sykała, 2019), and activities aimed at shaping attitudes from reactive (yielding to events, lack of engagement) towards proactive (designating and implementing goals) (Chyłek, 2007).…”

Potential and Opportunities of Use of Postindustrial Buildings and Territories for Urban Development: Case Studies of the Historical Area in Lviv (Ukraine)

“…The studies of revitalization cases are numerous [26][27][28] because they are very relevant in the modern world. The problem of revitalization is very relevant in former socialist countries because of specific conditions of their development after World War Two [29][30][31].…”