Sesvete residents protest 'excessive urbanization' as green spaces disappear

Residents of Sesvete, a district of Zagreb, are sounding the alarm over what they describe as "excessive urbanization." They report a rapid construction pace that is consuming the green spaces where children used to play and where the community could "breathe freely."

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We are witnessing increasingly rapid construction in our Sesvete. New settlements and buildings have almost completely "swallowed" the green areas where children used to play and where we all breathed freely.

The association "Zelene i plave Sesvete" (Green and Blue Sesvete) is actively documenting these changes. They have observed new settlements and buildings almost entirely replacing the parks, meadows, and playgrounds that were once common in the area. This trend, they warn, is leading to a loss of human and green spaces in the eastern part of the city.

To combat this issue, the association is calling on residents to help map and document these instances of over-development. They are requesting photographs and specific locations of new buildings that have "squeezed out" parks or playgrounds. Submissions can be made via email or Facebook message.

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If you have an example in your neighborhood of a newly built building that has "displaced" a park, meadow, or playground, photograph or film it and send it to us!

"Sesvete's space is shared; help us preserve it for future generations, because concrete cannot replace playing on the grass and the shade of trees," the association stated. Their goal is to use this documented evidence to advocate more effectively for the preservation of the district's remaining green areas.

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Help us preserve it for future generations, because concrete cannot replace playing on the grass and the shade of trees.