Latvia hosts second PROXIMITIES Stakeholder Group Meeting

On 26th November 2024, the Riga Planning Region team for the PROXIMITIES project held its second stakeholder group meeting in Olaine, one of the project’s pilot territories in Latvia. The meeting brought together municipal spatial planning specialists to discuss project progress and key spatial planning challenges in the region.

During the session, the team presented an overview of the PROXIMITIES project, outlining its objectives and ongoing work. The discussion focused on findings from recent surveys conducted in the pilot territories of Dārziņi and Olaine, providing insights into the needs and opportunities for improving public outdoor spaces.

A key topic of discussion was the lack of public and community infrastructure in Olaine, particularly in residential courtyards. Both in Olaine and Dārziņi, there is a strong demand for “places to meet”—small architectural interventions designed to encourage social interaction across different generations. Participants highlighted the importance of multifunctional outdoor spaces that cater to all age groups, not just children, to create more vibrant and inclusive communities.

The meeting underscored the stakeholders’ commitment to supporting the project’s progress and their willingness to be actively involved in future development processes.