12 years ago I start to practice aerial silk in Zagreb. When I return to my home town Rijeka I wanted to find a place for train.
I start to research outdoor possibilities to hang my fabric. I find only a few places. One tree on Trsat but on a private land, one tree in park Vladimira Nazora full of dog shit and one in my favourite beach Glavanovo in Pećine.
This tree on the beach cast shadow. This gave my group of acrobats great pleasure to train near the sea. People passing by always stopped to admire us.
I was going for a walk with my dog to that beach. I was shocked! Tree was laying on the ground, cut to peaces.
Tears filled my eyes. Workers who had chopped down the tree joked: „Don’t worry we will put something up for you instead of tree, so you can practice“
I was so frustrated and sad that I put this picture on facebook. I wrote that Rijeka is less and less my home. They take everything what is good from this city.
I send email to the major oft he city. I get the answer that they did this for the safety of the citizen.
Do you believe this? Or do you think they are only concerned about the places they can build, the garages or the hotels?
I’ll let you decide.
Author: Nives Soldičić, association Prostorplus
This digital story has been realised within the European project “Stories Behind the Cities”, founded by Creative Europe Programme, European Commission.