When water becomes an ally, not an enemy
In the centre of Rivne, not far from the historic passport-office building and the “Integration Space”, there is a small green area. Just a few years ago, construction waste was scattered here, rubbish blew out of the containers, Sosnowsky’s hogweed grew, and after rain, puddles formed that could not be walked around for days on end. Today it is a rain garden that not only decorates the city but also helps it adapt to climate change, accumulating stormwater and creating a space for biodiversity.
The story of this place is about persistence, civic initiative and faith in the idea that even small changes can make a city better to live in.
How the idea was born: from a tree to a space
It all began with the civic initiative “Garden of Stories in Rivne”, created in the summer of 2015 by a team of enthusiasts who wanted to help the city become greener. The first steps were difficult – trials, mistakes, learning. In 2018 the team invited specialists from Lviv, took training in European landscaping standards and made its first quality planting on Symon Petliura Street – a car park once scorched by the sun.
To show that there should be more such examples, the initiative decided to create several demonstration sites in different corners of the city. In 2019, as part of a crowdfunding campaign supported by the “Zlata Plaza” shopping centre, other local businesses and residents, the team planted 30 trees in different corners of the city. One of them – a plane tree – appeared precisely on Slovatskoho Street, near the “Infohub” space. It was a prominent spot in the centre, but very neglected. A few years earlier the paving had been repaired there, and the construction waste was simply pushed into the green zone. There was a barge with a mobile café, the shared bins were constantly overflowing, and rubbish blew about in the wind. The green zone found itself in limbo: not on the balance sheet of the city or of the passport office. No one cleaned or cared for it. And nearby stood shared bins whose contents blew across the area in the wind. So the activists decided not to stop at planting a single tree.
From a rubbish dump to a rain garden: technical solutions
A real turning point in the fate of this green space came in 2022, when a business joined the initiative – the IT company SoftServe, which, as part of its environmental programme, offered financial support for greening. The team immediately realised: this was a chance to turn the most painful spot in the city centre into a real gem.
Mobilising the efforts of volunteers and local business, they began work to clear the area. Having coordinated their actions with the Department of Infrastructure and Amenities, they removed the construction waste, took off the top contaminated layer of soil, cleared away the remains of asphalt and got rid of the hogweed. And here nature itself suggested a solution: after rain it became obvious that the green zone is a natural accumulator of stormwater from the neighbourhood. So they decided to try to make a rain pit.
Consultations were provided by landscape architect Maria Holiuk. The technology proved simple but effective:
● dug two large pits for a certain volume of water;
● lined them with geotextile (a filtration membrane);
● filled them with coarse crushed stone to create space for water;
● covered them on top with geotextile;
● poured a thin layer of crushed stone on top to mark the spot.
The principle of operation: a large amount of water is immediately collected in the gaps between the coarse crushed stone, then gradually filters and is absorbed into the soil.
The next stage was bringing in quality soil and planting. Shrubs were planted around the perimeter (ninebark, spirea, lilac, buddleia), creating a cosy feel inside. Wildflower grass was sown – plants able to withstand periodic flooding. The existing linden and the newly planted plane tree were preserved. The budget was small, so the idea remains for the future to install comfortable benches, a bike rack and permeable paving around it, to create a cosy space for people.
The total budget of the project was about 27,000 hryvnias (2022), including the work of machinery, soil and plants. Importantly: all the work was done by volunteers, without payment for labour. At market prices, taking payment for labour into account, the cost could have risen one-and-a-half to two times.
The climate effect: when every drop counts
The rain garden on Slovatskoho solves one of the key problems of cities in a time of climate change – managing stormwater. Instead of running off along the asphalt, creating puddles and overloading the sewer, the water is now accumulated in the green zone, gradually absorbed into the soil. This solution is especially relevant amid the growing frequency of extreme weather events. Rain gardens are a much cheaper alternative to building new expensive storm sewers.
In addition, the green zone replaced part of the paved surface, which reduced the overheating of the area – trees and shrubs create shade, evaporate moisture and lower the air temperature.
People, birds, insects: a space for everyone
The project changed not only the physical appearance of the space but also its function. Instead of a cluttered, unattractive area, there is now a place where insects and birds can live and where people can stop and rest. A small community has formed around the project – volunteers, business representatives, representatives of civil society organisations who care about its fate.
The space improved the accessibility of pedestrian routes: previously people had to go around huge puddles, now the water goes into the green zone and the path stays dry.
However, it was not without difficulties. Because of a lack of coordination between different bodies in 2023-2024, when the “Integration Space” was being prepared for opening, new asphalt paving was laid for the accessibility of people with disabilities, partly filling in the rain pit and severely pruning the linden.
Now, instead of a soft path and benches for resting, there is asphalt on which 2–3 cars park, even though it is a pedestrian zone. Recently the plane tree was damaged by a storm – a specialist needs to be brought in for pruning. Care of the zone is still not fully established – the managers of the municipal enterprise “Rivne City Green Economy Trust” often change, and each time a new dialogue has to be started.
There is hope that the situation will change when the city installs a station for separate waste collection here – one of several showcase locations in Rivne. This could improve the care of the zone and finally remove the parking from here.
Advice to communities: how to create your own rain garden
The experience of the Rivne team shows: even small green zones can become a powerful tool for adapting to climate change. What do the initiators advise other communities?
Look for problem spots. The best effect is not on existing green zones but where there are none: on paved, scorching areas, neglected places, thickets of invasive plants.
Analyse water flows. Look at where puddles form after rain, where the area floods. Perhaps, instead of an expensive reconstruction of the storm sewer, it is enough to create a rain pit, a drainage system and a green zone.
Preserve what is valuable. Do not destroy existing greenery – create conditions for its life, and then add new plants. Think about diversity: shrubs for birds, meadows for insects, wildflower grass instead of mown grass.
Coordinate actions. Agree with the authorities on further care. Without this, even the best project can die.
“We have stopped – we cannot keep creating new spaces until the existing ones are properly cared for”, — the project coordinator Oksana Maiboroda honestly says.
Protect plants during any works. In Europe there are standards that forbid stacking heavy materials near trees. In Ukraine this is often forgotten – and the plants suffer.
The most important piece of advice is to look for allies. The city authorities must see such initiatives and support them in every way. It is much easier to attract people and resources when there is support. People are ready to unite. This improves the dialogue between authorities, community and business and helps build trust between the parties for the sake of the city’s future.