Public spaces are still rare in the country, although private projects showed a threefold increase after the bloody explosions that took place in the Port of Beirut. In this context, the scarcity of social gathering places puts a high burden on social life and influences the social interaction across the country, whether for financial or political reasons. This article will discuss the following problems: what are the current reasons that prevent establishing public spaces? what are the pending initiatives and which ones were successful?
Lack of budget and political will
The fast and inadequate urban expansion is one of the most important reasons that led to the lack of social gathering places across the country. Priority was given over years to economic growth on the expense of social needs. In this regard, establishing public spaces was sacrificed for the interest of building housing projects that aimed to generate profits. Therefore, small spaces were available to create gardens, parks and public spaces. In the same context, the few available spaces suffer from the lack of maintenance, inaccessibility, and the lack of adequate equipment.
Lebanon also faces significant real estate restrictions, especially in the city, due to high population density. Therefore, the purchase of lands to establish new public spaces is becoming a main challenge. Mohammad Chamaa, an activist in urban planning said: “The low financing and the lack of political will led to the absence of social gathering places. Establishing such places is not getting high attention.” Hala Younes, an architect said: “According to her, this matter may lead to isolate people from each other indirectly, because they are deprived from gathering together, which creates a fear from the other. People who live in gated communities are afraid to sit on the same seat next to other persons. The limited interaction among individuals amidst the lack of public spaces would create a sense of isolation and social breakdown.”
In a related context, Younes expresses her frustration as the available public spaces are neglected like other public property. She said: “No one is maintaining or managing the use of these spaces. The mountain and city are considered as a great attraction for places that may be at the disposal of the society.”
“It would have been possible to have park venues, streets or even a corniche, but all these opportunities were sacrificed in favor of owning cars, as the country lacks public transportation,” she said regretfully. She highlighted that no measure was taken in the interest of pedestrians, promenaders, youth, elderly people or the persons who don’t have cars. “We hide our fear from the other by saying that taking the bus is not our culture,” she said. In this context, Younes deplored that the buses offered by France to Lebanon recently were corroded and were still parked in their place.
Pending projects…
In June, experts reconsidered blocking the establishment of a public space in the area of Mar Mikhael, which aims at improving the quality of traffic in the neighborhood and creating adequate spaces for pedestrians.
According to Chamaa, in Mar Mikhael, people from different cultural backgrounds gather in private places, such as bars and restaurants. He denounced that establishing a public space in the area was suspended due to political interference. He says that establishing more projects needs a political will. Younes said that the Members of the Parliament and elders of the area, who did not succeed at all to lower the loudspeakers of bars in Gemayzeh and Mar Mikhael or to discipline the workers of parking lots that acquired public spaces, quickly considered that trees and seats would disrupt public order. According to her, this fanatism underlies a refusal, which is that the establishment of a project for the public good in an area by the public central administration must remain managed by those people under a confessional and regional logic.
… But other initiatives were successful
The scene is not so dramatic, although some initiatives went straight down the drain and some others were successful in the city and rural areas. In July 2021, the Snoubra Skatepark opened in the garden of Horsh Al Snoubar in Beirut near Tariq Al Jdideh. It is the first public space for skateboarding in Lebanon.
In this context, Matze, a German expert living in Lebanon and a skateboarder, decided to implement this project after the explosions of the fourth of August 2020 at the Port of Beirut. This project was supported by many parties, including the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Since the opening of this place, which area is 1,100 square meters, it received children from different communities, especially the children coming from the neighboring camps of Sabra and Shatila. In this regard, this place relies on self-management to secure the safety of visitors amidst the absence of the State.
Taking such initiatives is not limited to the city, but also extends to include the village of Baabdat in the District of Metn, where three public gardens were established to serve the population. The first public garden was created since 15 years ago, while building Emile Lahoud Highway. The municipality benefits from this garden to attract a lot of people every year by organizing a “cultural week” in summer. Different activities, mainly singing, dance, poetry and movies… attracted hundreds of people from different age groups. The municipality was able to maintain this exchange of cultures by displaying football matches during the World Cup and the Euro Cup. Therefore, a lot of people attended the cultural week, including children, families, residents of the area in addition to emigrants and visitors coming to Lebanon. The President of the Municipality, Hicham Labaki said: “These activities enhanced ties among the residents of Baabdat on the one hand, and people visiting the garden, on the other hand.”
Labaki also said that a resident of the village donated two other gardens for the municipality: he called the first garden “Jesus the Savior” and the second one “Toufic Labaki” on the name of the donor’s father. He said: “In the first garden, we organized masses and annual dinners of traditional nature. The second garden which includes big spaces for playing and sport equipment is for the residents of the area, especially the families.” In a related context, this example is similar to the one implemented by the Skaff family in Zahle, where a big park was established and also included sport equipment to serve the population. This park that attracts a high number of families allowed parents, as well as the youth of different backgrounds, to have common connections and enhance the social fabric in the area.
Public spaces are not only considered as accessible spaces, but also as places for living, expression, and communication among individuals. When we invest in such spaces, Lebanon may be able to aspire to build better future for all its citizens. Will the Lebanese authorities be aware of the importance of establishing such spaces?