Metropolis today
41 cities and communes with a total area of 2,500 sq km, where 2.1 million residents live, with 270,000 companies and enterprises, generating approx. 8 percent of our country’s GDP. This is Metropolis GZM – Poland’s first metropolis. The implementation of statutory tasks began on 1 January 2018.
The residents of the center of the Silesian Province have for years felt that they have been functioning in a coherent urban organism, where administrative borders were purely contractual. Therefore, the creation of the Metropolis in the center of the Silesian Province was something natural.
To us, the most important goal is to take actions to improve the quality and comfort of life of residents by introducing joint solutions. We want to use the potential of member communes, stimulate the creativity of residents and inspire change, enabling the acceleration of economic and social processes, leading to the creation of a growth center that can compete with other metropolitan areas in the country and in the world.
A special law dedicated to us, under which Metropolis GZM was established, defined the list of tasks to be implemented:
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Well-organized public transport is not just a shared train, bus and tram ticket; convenient public transport, enabling efficient access to work, school, shopping or cinema, is also the development of bike infrastructure and modern railways. The keyword here is sustainable urban mobility, i.e. providing many travel opportunities, using the most efficient means of transport in a given situation. The communication needs of the residents are changing and we must follow them. In our opinion, the future of urban mobility will be based on electric, autonomous and shared vehicles. Our role is to provide residents with a range of communication options that will be tailored to the needs of the moment and their personal preferences.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Working together, we have the chance to become more effective. Thus, we can grow faster, becoming a strong partner for other large urban centers in the country and abroad. We want to take an active part in the process of building a knowledge-based economy; coordinate the cooperation of entities operating in our area; inspire the development of key industries. We also see the potential in cooperation on the business-science-local government line and joint activities with business environment institutions and universities. It is with this kind of joint activity that we are looking for a synergy effect to increase the chances of investor interest in the offer of cities and communes of the Metropolis, as well as to improve the comfort and quality of life of residents.
DEVELOPING THE SPATIAL ORDER
It is care about how our surroundings look so that they are ordered, their system is well thought out, and the solutions used – tailored to the needs of residents. Our goal is to give spatial development a metropolitan, unified, even and rationalized character. It is also cooperation for the development of communication systems, including bike routes.
PROMOTION
It is disseminating all advantages of the Metropolis at home and abroad. We want to blow away unfair stereotypes and show the potential of our area as it really is. Metropolis GZM is a huge economic, social, intellectual, communication and cultural resource.
Metropolis GZM consists of 41 cities and communes located in the center of the Silesian Province. They have been conventionally divided into five sub-regions:
- Bytom: Bytom, Ożarowice, Piekary Śląskie, Radzionków, Świerklaniec, Tarnowskie Góry, Zbrosławice;
- Gliwice: Gliwice, Gierałtowice, Knurów, Pilchowice, Pyskowice, Rudziniec, Sośnicowice, Zabrze;
- Katowice: Katowice, Chorzów, Mysłowice, Ruda Śląska, Siemianowice Śląskie, Świętochłowice;
- Sosnowiec: Sosnowiec, Będzin, Bobrowniki, Czeladź, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Mierzęcice, Psary, Siewierz, Sławków, Wojkowice;
- Tychy: Tychy, Bieruń, Bojszowy, Chełm Śląski, Imielin, Kobiór, Lędziny, Łaziska Górne, Mikołów, Wyry.
The seat of the authorities of Metropolis GZM is Katowice.
