Meriç Yaşayan Parkı

About Meriç Yaşayan Parkı

Meriç Yaşayan Parkı (Meriç Living Park) is a 60,000 square metre park in the Meriç neighbourhood of Bornova, beside the MTK (Moda Tekstil Konfeksiyoncular) trade estate. İzmir Metropolitan Municipality opened it in January 2024 as the sixth park in its Living Parks programme, which aims to bring nature into the city and create shared meeting and activity spaces. According to the municipality, the land was used as a rubble dump until 2000. Former mayor Ahmet Piriştina had it cleared and planted with olive and pine trees, but it then lay unused for more than 20 years. The new park was designed around the needs of residents of the Meriç, Serintepe and Zafer neighbourhoods, gathered door to door by the municipal rapid response team. Facilities include a football pitch, a mini basketball court, a neighbourhood allotment garden where local residents are allocated plots by lottery for a year, a cafeteria, a library for children and young people, outdoor fitness equipment, walking paths and a large meadow. Planting favours drought-resistant species such as oak, mastic, oleander, rosemary and honeysuckle. Children aged 7 to 14 can join football lessons run by the municipal youth and sports department on the pitch. The football pitch and cafeteria are operated by the municipal company İzDoğa.