The territory of the Metropolitan City of Lille, lead partner of the project, is characterized by densely populated areas with scarce green infrastructures. In view of the Bords de Deûle 2040 project, planning to regenerate a former industrial site of 115 hectares along the Deûle river into a green area, the City-to-City exchange aims to investigate, at international level, urban regeneration processes, by examining best practices and actions to enhance green areas in connection with rivers.
Thanks to the capacity building programme supported by the European Urban Initiative (EUI), Torino has been identified as a partner in this exchange. Through study visits and discussions among policy makers and civil servants, the two cities aim to identify projects of common interest and replicable solutions.
Metropolitan City of Lille (FR)
The exchange supports two study visits, one in Torino in November 2023 and one in Lille in January 2024. Meetings among civil servants and elected representatives from both partner cities are taking place, together with visits to the main projects of mutual interest and exchanges with local stakeholders. Every month, the project teams meet online to discuss common issues identified together.
Moreover, the European Urban Initiative programme offers the support of thematic experts, involved both in the online and in-person meetings, to facilitate the identification of points of connection, common challenges and possible solutions.
Torino intends to offer the Metropolitan City of Lille, and its Municipalities, its experience in recovering former industrial areas through environmental redevelopment. In November 2023, a delegation composed by French Mayors and practitioners pays a visit to Torino to learn more about projects such as Parco Dora, Orti Generali, Environment Park, but also “A river of future” for the redevelopment of the Po river as an environmental, cultural and tourist resource.
Moreover, the exchange gives particular relevance to the urban innovative actions implemented in Torino, including the interventions along the Dora river supported by the TONITE project and the Pacts of Collaboration developed in the framework of CO-CITY.
The exchange therefore aims to share experiences, solutions and methodologies, by comparing projects involving the redevelopment of brownfields into green areas in close connection with the rivers, but also the adopted technical solutions, and the processes actively involving the resident population and potential new inhabitants.
This project was funded by the City-to-City Exchanges – European Urban Initiative Capacity Building.
EU contribution to the city of Torino
Partners
Months project duration
