On July 8th, the “Kanalisanje” (channelling, mainstreaming of ideas, in free translation) festival was held at the Strand in Sombor. Although the last public event held in the frame of the Hydro-Heritage Cities URBACT Network, the festival aims to become a permanent feature for the study of the Great Bačka Canal. The sun that came out just before the festival began, after a rainy day, might be a good omen for this.
About a hundred visitors took part in a workshop for children, followed a presentation of architectural students’ designs on key spots of the Great Bačka Canal. These activities were dressed by music played by DJ Bokun and DJ Nu Simakina, while photographs of the “best postcard of the Great Bačka Canal competition” organized last winter by the local URBACT group, were exhibited anew. The photo-exhibition will continue to decorate the Strand area, so that visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy them all summer.
The childrens' workshop was led by architect and visual artist Sanja Petrovic, who runs the art workshops "Let's Create". Using various materials, the children created animals and plants that live and grow along the canal. They made origami water lilies and took a boat ride to get to know the flora and fauna of the canal, with the help of professor Gordana Kozoderović from the Faculty of Pedagogy in Sombor.
The works of second-year students at the Architecture Faculty of the University of Belgrade that were presented during the festival, were dedicated on new solutions and innovative design for important spots of the Great Backa Canal around the City of Sombor. The designs, under the supervision of profesor Danijela Milovanov Rodić and PhD Branislav Antonić, dealt with the Bezdan lock, the Bezdan Kayaking Club and the area across the canal in Bezdan, the area between the Strand and the bridge on Apatinski Road, the complex of the old power plant, and the area around Mostonga on Apatinski Road where they planned a forest-park with various functions. The presentations of the students works were interactive, and the citizens of Sombor took part with their questions and comments. Although unusual, this was actually the students’ evaluation and exams process were they defended their projects, which stood out with their high-quality designs and mature thinking.
In the end, Sombor city’s Hydro-Heritage Cities’ project manager and urban planner Dragana Siljanovic Kozoderovic and the author of the Great Bačka Canal Study, architect Branislav Antonic, presented in public Sombor’s URBACT Local Group intervention plans on the canal for the next 10 years. The participants were called to mark the three most important projects for them on a map, and their feedback will inform, and included into, the final version of the city's Investment Plan to regenerate as green-blue infrastructure the canal's hydro-heritage value.
