Taksim Square in Istanbul may become a park. These days, the municipality is voting for a new design of the famous tourist spot in the central part of Istanbul. The city residents will also be able to take part in the discussion of the IMM project and the Istanbul Planning Agency (IPA). Three versions of the design project, submitted to the vote, caused considerable controversy both among residents and representatives of the authorities of Istanbul and in the media.
All three projects offer to demolish the existing square and develop the completely new design, which will cause some in inconveniences (noise, dust, etc.) along with considerable costs. In addition, all three projects propose to turn Taksim Square into a park area that will be the extension of Gezi Park. However, not everyone agrees with the concept of turning the square into a green area. Opponents of the new projects believe that Taksim square should not be turned into a picnic area, since the famous square in this form will not be able to fulfill its direct historical purpose - to be a place for meetings, concerts and public gatherings.