River Restoration and Revitalisation in Urban Areas:

Exploring Opportunities for the Elassonitis River in Elassona, Greece

NIKOLAOS SAMARAS1, EVRYDIKI TSOLA2, CHRISTOS SAMARAS3, ARIS SAPOUNAKIS4

University of Thessaly,

Volos,

GREECE

Patras,

GREECE

Volos,

GREECE

Abstract: - Throughout history, the role of rivers in urban areas has been vital and complex. Water elements

have defined and embodied urban areas' structure, character, growth, economic relations, and social and

environmental dynamics. Today, local authorities focus on restoration and revitalization projects in urban rivers

regarding river restoration. Lastly, it highlights the benefits of integrating water elements into urban

regeneration, including environmental, social, and economic benefits. The case study of the Elassonitis River

can influence similar projects in other regions, demonstrating the potential for rivers to become central

elements of sustainable urban development.

Key-Words: - river, restoration, revitalization, regeneration, sustainable development, urban areas, Greece.

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supports transport and commercial activities, vital

for economic relationships and cultural exchanges,

[1]. In addition, rivers have influenced urban areas'

cultural and artistic quality, functionality, and scale,

[2].

climates to reduce the risks associated with diseases

and extreme weather conditions, such as floods,

intense rainfall events, and sudden snow or melt in

high mountainous areas, [5].

In recent years, rapid urbanization and climate

restore rivers and their surroundings through

sustainable water resource management, [8].

However, urban rivers are also prone to pollution

that is related to household and industrial waste, [9].

Restoration of river ecosystems, enhancement of

cultural and recreational value, improvement of

water quality, development of green infrastructure,

and adaptation to climate change are among the key

outcomes of these revitalization and restoration

projects, [10]. Riverside revitalization and

have been characterized by pollution and

deterioration, [12]. The prevailing approach was

transforming these spaces into new central areas to

influence urban fabrics through regeneration

projects. Western European countries, including

Germany, France, the UK, Spain, and the

Netherlands, promoted riverfront regeneration

projects to improve the rivers and their surrounding

areas, [13].

One of the most comparable examples of a river

river morphology, using historical maps to guide the

reintroduction of natural features. It is essential to

mention that the restoration involved various

organizations and stakeholders to ensure the river's

aesthetic character and functionality, [14]. Another

case is the Emscher River restoration project in the

Ruhr Metropolitan Area, Germany, which aimed to

transform the river from a heavily modified

wastewater channel into a near-natural stream

system. The project started in 1990; the 30-year

[18]. In addition, the river is linked to significant

architectural and cultural elements of interest, such

as the Stone Bridge and the Muslim Mosque.

However, several issues, such as flooding and

pollution from local industries, have affected the

in Greece, focusing on the perspectives of the local

community. In particular, surveys were conducted

with the local community to gain insight into the

complex issues that are arising in the city of

Elassona due to the river and to ascertain the river's

role in the local community.

through typical examples in Greece and abroad, and

fieldwork that concerns the detection of the opinions

of residents, entrepreneurs, and visitors of the city in

the direction of exploring the potential of the

Elassonitis River in Elassona, Greece, and the

expectations of citizens from the regeneration of the

river. The results based on the interviews will be

analyzed through a correlation test that will be

carried out between the responses of the citizens,

visitors, and entrepreneurs. The One-Way ANOVA

Table 1. Questionnaire for the residents, the

entrepreneurs, and the visitors of the city of

Elassonitis River?", in the process of a

redevelopment, were 'open-ended' and allowed for a

spontaneous response, freely formulated by the

respondents, residents, visitors and entrepreneurs of

the city. We asked the respondents to tell us what

corresponding question of Phase B, which was now

formulated as a closed-ended questionnaire since the

impossibility of completing the questionnaire by the

face-to-face procedure could not ensure conditions

of spontaneity in the answers. Similarly, the seven

responses that scored the highest percentages among

the reactions of Phase A to the question on the

Negative Elements of the Elassonitis River

constituted the seven choices in the corresponding

closed-ended question of Phase B.

the three groups.

The questions in Part 2 of the questionnaire: "What

would you like to be maintained or preserved in the

Elassonitis River during the

restoration/revitalization process?" and "What is the

most distracting or annoying thing for you about the

preserved during its redevelopment, according to

residents

Table 3. The positive elements of the river should be

preserved during its redevelopment, according to

Regarding what is most distracting in the

of what is most distracting about the Elassonitis

River and what they would like to see changed

during the process of an upcoming redevelopment,

'The Unsteady Water Flow' emerged 1st with a

percentage of 30% along with 'The Industrial

Table 5. The negative elements of the river should

be preserved during its redevelopment, according to

residents

Fig. 6: The negative elements of the river that

should be preserved during its redevelopment,

according to residents

be preserved during its redevelopment, according to

visitors

be preserved during its redevelopment, according to

entrepreneurs

Fig. 8: The negative elements of the river that

should be preserved during its redevelopment,

according to entrepreneurs

Regarding the answers of the residents and

visitors of the city referring to the harmful elements

of the river, the statistical correlations (x²) gave no

result to indicate that: "What they consider as most

distracting in the Elassonitis River and should be

corrected in the process of an upcoming

statistical correlation (x²) did not work to show that:

"What they consider as most distracting in the

Elassonitis River and should be corrected in the

process of an upcoming redevelopment" relates to

"the type of economic activity".

When the entrepreneurs of the city were asked

the question: 'Do you think that the existence of the

Elassonitis river helps in some way to carry out your

business activity?' out of a total of 20 entrepreneurs

interviewed, only 2 (10%) answered YES and 18

customers', 2 (11%) answered 'By expanding

commercial activity to the countryside', and 6 (33%)

said that they did not think that the river could

contribute to their business activity 'But they want it

to be redeveloped' (Figure 9).

once redeveloped, to business activity, according to

entrepreneurs

Table 9. Multiple Comparisons between the

responses of the three groups of respondents

(residents/group 1, visitors/group 2, and

entrepreneurs/group 3), about the Positive aspects

and the Negative elements of the Elassonitis River,

voters for political legitimacy. These three roles

make residents a significant target group since only

conscious participation and consultation can

produce effective and sustainable - rather than an

'artificial' - place branding, which utilizes and

The findings of the field research showed that

the necessity of restoration and regeneration of the

riverside of Elassonitis is perceived by all

participants. Residents and visitors of the city of

Elassona expect, through an upcoming

redevelopment of the river, the improvement and

correction of negative elements such as 'Industrial

Pollution', 'Lack of Cleanliness', 'Difficulty of

Access', Unstable Water Flow', 'The Division of the

City'. The entrepreneurs of the city, even if they do

identified interactions between the natural and the

built environments, [24]. In particular, the

environmental elements, including the water

element, native vegetation, fauna, and flora, are

noteworthy and require maintenance and protection.

Furthermore, the participants acknowledged the

significance of the area's cultural heritage,

particularly the stone bridge as a prominent

landmark and an integral component of the riverside

landscape. Consequently, the cultural reclamation of

household pollution in the riverside, as well as the

lack of cleanliness and accessibility in the riverside

area. All of these characteristics that have affected

the riversides are incorporated into restoration and

regeneration programs.

The waterfront areas should be designated as

recreational zones. The principal means of

achieving this objective can be categorized as

follows: firstly, the ecological functionality of the

watercourse as an ecosystem should be enhanced;

Last but not least, it is crucial to emphasize the

The restoration and revitalization of rivers

 Ecological restoration

 Development of green infrastructure and