In Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and particularly
in the city's southern and central neighborhoods, there is
a serious shortage of public parks and green spaces so crucial
to a reasonable urban quality of life, and that represent the
city's ”green lungs." Promises on the part of
the Municipality for the creation of such parks have remained
unfulfilled, and the threat of the conversion of the few remaining
open spaces to developed sites is constant. A primary example
of such a situation is the city's demand to take over large
sections of the city's Yarkon Park for development purposes.
Equally disturbing, there is currently no organized city plan for
adding more public green spaces, and construction projects
currently being proposed lack any significant contribution
to the serious shortage of public open spaces in Tel Aviv-Jaffa.
Yarkon Park is the largest park in Tel Aviv, serving all of
the city’s residents as well as those living in the entire
surrounding Dan metropolitan region. 18% of the park's area is currently fenced off or developed and inaccessible by the general public
For the past five years Tel
Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai has been trying to obtain approval for
major development plans for the park. The Tel Aviv
Center for Environmental Action has been fighting the Mayor’s
intentions ever since he first proposed them. Following an
extensive campaign, we succeeded in getting the National Planning
Council – Israel’s highest planning authority – to limit additional
construction in Yarkon Park to a maximum of 3,000 square meters.
But Mayor Huldai objects to this decision and continues
to demand authorization of an additional 12,000 square meters
for development in the park.
Instead of destroying still more of the park’s
open space, why not make use of the many buildings already
existing in the park that are currently not in use?! Members
of Tel Aviv’s City Council continue to avoid dealing with
this issue, having used various tricks and excuses no fewer
than four times rather than taking a stand and putting this
issue to a vote. They evidently have good reason for their
actions: A survey conducted by a local newspaper in October 2003 showed that 90% of Tel Aviv residents are opposed to any additional development in the park!
It is again up to the National Planning Council to make the
final decision. Meanwhile, we will continue promoting our
position – shared by an overwhelming portion of city residents
– that there is no need to allocate any additional
development space in the park.
We invite you to become a member of “Overseas Friends of Yarkon
Park” and help us with a letter- and e-mail- writing campaign
to Mayor Huldai, public officials you are familiar with, financial
contributions, and help in organizing fund-raising events
supporting the park on your local campus, and more.
How to contact Mayor Holdai:
Mayor Ron Huldai
Tel Aviv's City Hall
69 Ibn Gvirol St.
Tel Aviv 64162
Israel
You can also write the Mayor via the Tel Aviv Municipality's
website at:
http://www.tel-aviv.gov.il/english/general/contact/contact.htm
For additional information contact:
Momo Mahadav, Director
Tel Aviv Center for Environmental Action
Tlv@spni.org.il
