As part of the European Capital of Culture project, the first community meetings took place in April in four districts of Trenčín, from the South to Sihoť. Today, we have several ideas and two connected communities.
Spring meetings in the neighborhoods of Juh, Sihoť, Zámostie, and Dlhé Hony initiated the so-called Living Neighborhoods, which aim to support community life outside the center of Trenčín. Project manager of Trenčín 2026, Lenka Abaffyová, shares what these meetings brought and how the Living Neighborhoods are progressing.
What was the intent behind organizing meetings in various city districts?
We wanted to capture people interested in the idea of neighborhood activities, even if they might not yet have such a community around them. They might have recently moved here, live in a family house, and don’t belong to any community around an apartment building or courtyard. We also wanted to reach out to those who are still invisible, doing small things like meeting twice a year for a barbecue or Christmas punch.
We wanted to establish first contacts, so we went directly to people in their neighborhoods. We also focused on spaces that could or already serve as a natural center in those districts—such as the Úspech Park or the area around Južanka and KC Aktivity. To stimulate the imagination of those who attended, we asked them to explore the area through questions. We collected ideas for small and larger changes to this space for the residents who pass through it daily and live there. We were equally interested in ideas for community events in these specific places.
After the meetings, there were focus groups composed of residents from these districts. Did the information collected in focus groups differ from previous meetings?
In this case, we also asked for activity suggestions but in the entire district. The result was that people talked about their own vision for a place they selected, such as their courtyard. We also wanted to find out if they noticed the beginnings or well-established community life in their area, what barriers or opportunities they saw, and how we could reach and motivate people.
Did you find people who would like to organize something for others in their area?
Yes, in Sihoť, we found two small communities. One is a group of families organizing various activities for families with children. Not only for their own, but they also try to include families from their neighborhood. For example, they inform about events by distributing leaflets to other entrances. Then there are families who got together to improve the courtyard using permaculture. This involves a person who moved here from abroad and a person who is into permaculture.
Thanks to the Living Neighborhoods, these two small communities met and connected. We are communicating with them, and in the fall, we will organize an event together according to their needs and ideas, which could attract more people from the neighborhood.
Did this scenario repeat in the other three districts?
In the other districts, we found more individuals interested in organizing something for others. We will be more involved with our help. Thanks to mapping and focus groups, we know what kind of events people in these districts are interested in, and we will proceed accordingly. We will organize events with the potential to attract people interested in such activities.
What would people in Trenčín like to happen in their neighborhood?
People in Trenčín can imagine picnics, flea markets, creating community gardens, exhibitions of children’s works, or performances by children from schools or clubs in their districts. We compiled the collected ideas into simple infographics for each city district. You can view them at www.trencin2026.eu/en/zive-susedstva.
If you like the idea of Living Neighborhoods and would like to organize such activities in Trenčín, let us know at lenka.abaffyová@trencin2026.eu.
Mirka Gúčiková, Trenčín 2026
