Tam Thanh creates living space from the community

(QNO) - On the morning of June 24, at the cultural space of Tam Thanh fishing village (Tam Ky city), Tam Ky City People's Committee coordinated with the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) to organize a conference to summarize the "Pilot component of participatory planning" in Tam Thanh commune, an activity under the Project "Strengthening institutions and enhancing capacity for urban development in Vietnam" (ISCB).

Many spaces were created from suggestions from the Tam Thanh community. Photo: PHAN VINH

Planning from community needs

The ISCB project is implemented by the Ministry of Construction in collaboration with UN-Habitat, with funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). Tam Thanh is one of two localities (alongside Ben Tre province) selected to pilot the participatory planning component.

At the event, Mr. Pham Thai Son - ISCB Project Director shared that the "Our City Plan" model developed by UN-Habitat is a flexible tool, allowing local communities to directly participate in the planning process through field surveys, dialogue workshops, establishing development visions and implementing public space demonstrations.

Mr. Pham Thai Son - ISCB Project Director shares about the process of applying methods in project implementation. Photo: PHAN VINH

“We do not impose a rigid planning scheme. The goal is to work with local people and authorities, through interactive methods, to jointly shape the urban future. From assessing the current situation, creating an integrated territorial map, to building a vision for 2040 and choosing priority initiatives - every stage has the voice of the local community,” said Mr. Son.

According to Mr. Son, the implementation process in Tam Thanh has created a public space axis with aesthetic highlights and helped raise community awareness in environmental conservation, promote livelihoods and brand positioning for a coastal area with great potential. The project also left a complete set of data to serve the official planning steps later.

The organizers thanked individuals in the community who contributed to the project. Photo: PHAN VINH

From the perspective of local people, Mr. Le Dung said that the project has really created positive changes for the coastal village of Tam Thanh. The project's activities have significantly improved small-scale community infrastructure such as walkways and community living spaces, while also raising people's awareness of landscape preservation. Some economic -tourism models such as souvenir stalls, rest stops, etc. have also been formed, contributing to restoring the atmosphere of the coastal village.

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From the orientations established by the project, we, the local people, will continue to accompany in maintaining the values ​​that have been formed, while proactively participating in activities to build living spaces, preserve the landscape and promote the effectiveness of the results that the project has brought.

Mr. Le Dung - Resident of Tam Thanh commune

Some highlights in Tam Thanh fishing village will attract tourists in the near future. Photo: PHAN VINH

Orientation of coastal urban development

According to Mr. Nguyen Minh Nam - Vice Chairman of Tam Ky City People's Committee, the results from the ISCB pilot component in Tam Thanh are of great significance to the locality, creating a premise for Tam Ky to continue building long-term development orientations towards a green, sustainable urban area with substantial participation of the people.

“Tam Thanh is an important pilot area for participatory planning. This is an area with diverse marine, lagoon, field and river ecosystems, but it is also a place facing many challenges from climate change, lacking systematic planning and synchronous infrastructure. The community’s direct role in planning the local future is an important foundation for sustainable development in the future,” said Mr. Nam.

The artistic path continues to be decorated with vivid images by the project's artists. Photo: PHAN VINH

Mr. Le Hoang Trung - Deputy Director of the Department of Urban Management - Ministry of Construction said that the lessons from Tam Thanh can open up a new approach for coastal cities in Vietnam in the context of increasingly rapid urbanization, the risk of being damaged by environmental impacts is increasingly evident. Instead of investing in large-scale projects that put pressure on the landscape and community, the approach in Tam Thanh starting from small planning, wide participation and creative orientation will create fundamental and long-term changes.

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The "Our City Plan" tool is not just a technical method, but a way for cities in Vietnam to design their future based on community resources. It is the foundation for planning to no longer be the sole responsibility of the state or experts, but become a co-creation process, ensuring the connection between people and the government in each step of development.

Mr. Le Hoang Trung - Deputy Director of the Department of Urban Management - Ministry of Construction

Mr. Le Hoang Trung - Deputy Director of the Department of Urban Management - Ministry of Construction spoke at the conference. Photo: PHAN VINH

At the event, many units also emphasized the importance of institutionalizing participatory planning methods, including them in the provincial and regional planning processes, as well as replicating the model to localities with similar conditions. Tam Thanh community space - a demonstration result of the project - was also officially handed over to local management, becoming a symbol of the companionship between the people and the state in creating a better living environment.

[VIDEO] - Mr. Nguyen Minh Nam - Vice Chairman of Tam Ky City People's Committee shared about the planning orientation of Tam Thanh in the coming time:

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/tam-thanh-kien-tao-khong-gian-song-tu-cong-dong-3157305.html