Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Disaster Affairs Department took an important step to make urbanization policies more resilient to disasters. In this context, a two-day comprehensive workshop was organized with the theme of 'Rethinking Hüdavendigar City Park as an Earthquake Park and Temporary Shelter Area'.
The Disaster Coordination Center (AKOM), which was recently opened by the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, hosted a critical workshop led by the Disaster Affairs Department. The two-day program themed “Rethinking Hüdavendigar City Park as an Earthquake Park and Temporary Shelter” attracted great interest from academics specialized in disaster management and risk reduction, experts from different disciplines, representatives of civil society organizations and local governments, and graduate and senior undergraduate students in the field. As part of the workshop, a field survey was also conducted with the participants at Hüdavendigar City Park, which was selected as the pilot area for the earthquake park project.
Disaster-Resistant Solutions Are Produced with Common Sense
In his statement regarding the workshop, Fatih Işık, Head of the Disaster Affairs Department, stated that they came together with the valuable contributions of professional chambers, neighborhood headmen and civil society organizations for the earthquake park project planned to be implemented by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality. Işık stated that they carried out the work with a common mind in line with the vision of Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Bozbey and emphasized that they wanted to re-plan Hüdavendigar City Park in a way that would meet the needs of emergency assessment and temporary shelter after a possible disaster. He expressed that this approach is an important step in the goal of increasing the city's resilience against disasters.
Full Support for the Project from Mukhtars
Bursa Mukhtars Association President Erol Yılmazer, who attended the workshop, expressed his satisfaction with this initiative to create functional parks that can be used in times of disaster in neighborhoods. Yılmazer thanked everyone who contributed to this important project and stated that they are ready to provide all kinds of support as mukhtars. This support is of great importance in terms of implementing the project in an effective manner that is suitable for local needs. The process initiated by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality with this workshop is considered a concrete step towards increasing the city's level of preparedness against disasters and ensuring the safety of citizens. In line with the data obtained in the workshop and expert opinions, it is expected that the work to reorganize Hüdavendigar City Park as an earthquake park and temporary shelter area will progress rapidly.
