Angyal István Park in the 9th district of Budapest has been refurbished with the joint effort and support of Sweden and the Municipality of Budapest. By means of the modernization and landscaping initiated within the scope of the Swedish Sustainability Program, a modern social place with free internet coverage has been established at the corner of Üllői út and Ferenc körút. Thanks to the varied urban vegetation planted here, people can enjoy the proximity of nature at yet another busy location in the city.



"I am especially happy to see that this park has been refurbished in the spirit of sustainability, thanks to the unique cooperation between the Hungarian and the Swedish state and private companies. This is another extraordinary step towards a greener and more sustainable urban lifestyle" – emphasized Anna Boda, Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Embassy of Sweden in Budapest.

“The management of the city has created a vision of a city that is as green, friendly, and beautiful as can be"– said Deputy Mayor Dr. Gábor Bagdy. He added: "It is important to us to make sure that the people living here and foreigners alike see Budapest as a city sizzling with social life and developing dynamically. I hope that the renovation of Angyal István Park is another step in this direction."



Angyal István Park: A modern and environmentally conscious social place

A Wi-Fi hotspot has been installed in the park to allow anybody with a suitable device – for example, a smartphone or tablet – to use the internet for free. Easily comprehensible information signs help those getting acquainted with the world of smartphones and the internet.

The purpose of the reconstruction of Angyal István Park was to create a biodiverse, sustainable park. To enrich the ecological and visual diversity of the city landscape, almost twenty domestic, drought-tolerant, and city-proof plants with energy-efficient maintenance have been planted.

The paper plane installation in the park is a memorial for István Angyal, the hero of the 1956 revolution, after whom the park was named. The plane displays a few lines from his last letter to his friend, István Eörsi.

The Swedish Sustainability Program

The main goal of the Swedish Sustainability Program, supported by the Swedish Embassy, Business Sweden, and numerous Swedish companies operating in Hungary, is the dissemination of an environmentally conscious way of life and thinking, and the establishment of a sustainable urban environment. The first result of the cooperation was the first eco-playground in Hungary, on the Margaret Island, in 2011.

The following year, the walk and park located at the Buda end of the Chain Bridge were renovated, and now a self-service bicycle repair station, and an information and meeting point await those riding bicycles at the northern corner of Vérmező.

For more information about the Swedish Sustainability Program Series and about upcoming events, see www.shsmartforum.hu.

Partners
The major partners of the Swedish Sustainability Program are Electrolux, Ericsson, Saab, and Sigma Technology. Additional partners are HAGS, Metropol, Skanska, and Volvo Autó Hungária.

Cooperative partners in the modernization, planning, and implementation of the Angyal István Park have been: S-TÉR Kft., Főkert Nonprofit Zrt., Aktív 1 Kft., Zöldebb Városokért Nonprofit Kft. representing the Green City Council, and students from the landscape architecture master course at Budapest Corvinus University.

Source: shsmartfourm.com