In Middelfart, a nursing home parking lot has been transformed into a thriving Climate Garden, to the benefit of both residents and the local sewer.
At the nursing home Ældrecenter Skovgade, residents rarely sit out on their terrace during good weather anymore. Instead, they meet in the Climate Garden, a small paradise filled with plants, an orangery, pergolas, outdoor exercise machines and musical instruments. Many of these initiatives have been carried out in line with the residents’ wishes, who now invite neighbors, young people and daycare centers to visit the garden.
3,700
M3 RAINWATER IS DETAINED AND RELEASED INTO THE GROUND EACH YEAR
In addition to being a social gathering site that improves residents’ quality of life, the Climate Garden also serves as a climate adaptation project. Its total surface area is 11,000 m2 and the natural drainage properties of the vegetation allow the rainwater to permeate the soil slowly, rather than run off quickly and strain the drainage system.
The Climate Garden helps prevent the municipality’s drainage systems from becoming overloaded. The rainbeds can hold between 30 and 40 cm of water.
Rainwater is directed from the 4,000 m2 roof space and 2,000 m2 parking space to percolation ditches and rainbeds in the Climate Garden. Together, these can accommodate and retain rainwater from even the strongest cloudbursts. The Climate Garden is part of the municipality’s larger project, the Climate Lab. As is the case with many of the other projects, the Climate Garden acts as a demonstration project that inspires landowners in the area to handle their rainwater locally.
How the Global Goals are addressed
Good Health and Well-Being
In the garden, residents can rehabilitate their ability to walk and improve their balance in calm green surroundings. The garden also helps maintain a natural daily rhythm that improves the elders’ well-being.
Sustainable Cities and Communities
The project is for everyone: in the garden’s design, thought has been given to elements that invite the community in, such as exercise machines, musical instruments and green seating areas.
Partnerships for the Goals
The Climate Garden is the result of a collaboration between municipality departments, residents, relatives, and volunteers to create a joint climate adaptation project.
Middelfart Municipality
Middelfart is a town in central Denmark, with a population of 14,815.
Global Goals addressed
