Contemporary Parks in Post-Industrial Cities of Upper Silesian-Zaglebie Metropolis

The subject of the article is greenery in the public space of modern post-industrial cities with a particular role of city parks. The research concerns the current trends in the creation of urban parks, new forms and functions of urban greenery and ways of their introduction into the spatial structure of cities. The research is based on the cities of the Upper Silesian-Zagłȩbie Metropolis - one of the largest and most urbanized metropolitan areas in Poland with an industrial heritage. The article deals with the issues of creation, repair and protection activities undertaken in the 21st century related to the shaping of urban and suburban greenery in public spaces. The research presents selected activities carried out on a local and regional scale in the area of the metropolitan core. In the Upper Silesian-Zagłȩbie Metropolis, the slow process of increasing the area of green areas faces the processes of increased industrialization and urbanization. With the use of appropriate legal, financial, planning and organizational methods and instruments, this process can lead post-industrial cities towards "green" cities. It may also raise one's hope to improve the conditions and quality of life of urban communities and create a new image of post-industrial cities. The shaping of a new metropolis image is connected with the search for new challenges and new landscape identity. And, here is a chance in the creation of new green areas, and in particular broadly understood and much more complex than originally urban parks. The article objective is to show the role of parks in creating a new "green" image of a metropolis and impact on the quality of life of their inhabitants. It is also an attempt to answer the questions whether these activities are sufficient to make cities with an industrial heritage become "green" cities and the effect of these actions to be visible in the metropolis landscape. The article also tries to answer the questions whether contemporary different approaches to shaping urban greenery change the space and character of post-industrial cities and whether they meet the needs of a post-industrial society daily contact with nature.