Leszek DABROWSKI, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Poland
Elzbieta GRZELAK-KOSTULSKA, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Poland
The involvement of city authorities in spatial development issues is one of the elements of importance for city development. Although its dimension may vary, it is crucial when cooperation between various entities is undertaken. It is of great importance, especially for small and medium-sized cities. Due to the low attractiveness of the urban structure, the already existing negative phenomena, such as migration to bigger cities or urban sprawl, may be intensified there. That is why it is so important to look for solutions supporting positive changes. The philosophy of the Cittaslow network corresponds to the concept of sustainable urban development, including sustainable spatial development which is one of the most important components of the quality of life in a city. Hence, in the assumptions of the Cittaslow network concerning space one can find the ideas of revitalization and creation of places friendly to local communities. Considering the fact that we are dealing with cooperation between towns, the positive effects of its influence on spatial development may be strengthened.
The study aimed to assess the influence of the membership of Polish towns to the Cittaslow network on their spatial development. For this purpose, desk research was conducted. Reports on the implementation of municipal budgets were taken into account. The analysis was divided into three groups of towns: 1) the founding towns of the Polish National Network (accession in 2006), 2) towns that joined the network after 2006, 3) towns outside the Cittaslow network. It was shown that membership in the Cittaslow network influences the spatial development of the towns both in terms of the amount of funding allocated for sustainable spatial development and the scope of investment tasks undertaken. Moreover, a statistical analysis was carried out, which showed that the longer the membership of a city in the Cittaslow network, the more visible the effect of its membership.
Mots clés : Cittaslow|spatial development|small towns
A105385LD