Wirek - district of Ruda Śląska has long and interesting history. Up to now one can find remains of old factories, spoil heaps having sometimes peculiar shape, settlements for workers from XIX century, old buildings, churches, traces of old peoples affords.

Count Lazarus Henckel von Donnesmark built in 1805 steel factory “Antonienhutte” (to the memory of his wife). Nearby built coal mine “Gottessegen” (God blessing). Factory was working till 90. of XIX century. From 1812 was working zinc factory “Hugo” and “Liebe-Hoffnung". There were running zinc rolling mill “Antonine”either. The place of present park is the zinc spoil heap left by “Liebe-Hoffnung" zinc factory which was closed in 1925. There were competition in schools for the name of the place. Finally won the name Góra Antonia (Antonia Hill).

On the middle of heap top is designed view point in form of hill about 5 m high with installed lunette, some benches and educational path point. Around the playing field is designed low dike with tubes-tunnels for children play. Furthermore to the west are placed grill area under canopy of birches. Places for grill stands have form of gravel square pits surrounded by timber kerbs. Dark basalt gravel correspond to zinc slag but is not contaminated. Stands for grill are separated by the dashed lines of miscanthus. That is giving sense of intimacy providing kind of green wall maze for children play. On the hill top are designed concrete hammocks. These constructions will have timber cover suitable to sit on and handles to mount own hammock. Leaving hammock for days in open space could be not reasonable because of possible vandalism and high fall of furnaces dust which makes textile  dirty, especially during rainfall. Concrete boxes with two deck chairs in each provide intimate space, with view outlined by edge of box. There are boards of educational path with information about local history, industrial revolution, zinc production technology, features of spoil heap material and metallophyte plants, spontaneous flora, birds living around and area information system. To the south of main path are located three iron factory vats on the slag spot. On the east border is BMX circus with form of round dike with ramps about 2m high, with walls suited to bike extreme rides and jumps. The playground to the south has timber construction in the form of industrial structure with some connotations to coal mine lift tower, drift or some iron and zinc factory dwellings. Additionally various slides and modern play equipment which may be associated with industry but giving the same time high quality play proposition were built in various places.

As the most important tools leading to development of the area of Antonia Hill were taken remediation, phytostabilization, enhancement of biodiversity, support of natural succession, social participation, ecological education, health friendly way of life. Main problem and target of actions designed for area of zinc spoil heap in Ruda Śląska is the soil contamination and the process of the situation improving with remediation, to reach safe recreation open space there. Additional targets are: to mitigate dangerous sharp and high crags on the northern heap edge; build possibly low cost in maintaining leisure infrastructure with possibly broad offer, vandalism resistible, and with deep connections with local identity and history.  Remediation of topsoil in the area concerned is provided by phytostabilization on the top of spoil heap with use of brown coal and fertilizers and covering northern slopes with clay and new soil layers. On southern slope is providing gradual exchange of plant cover. There is used special mixture of grasses with ability to keep heavy metals down in root system. Some parts of spoil heap were marked with kerbs and with left  xerophilic or dry preferring plant communities of metallophyte plants. They are native and common for regional flora.

Implementation design for „Revitalization of the zinc spoil heap in Ruda Śląska near 1 Maja street" as a part of the project: Implementation of Sustainable Land Use in Integrated Environmental Management of Functional Urban Areas - LUMAT.

Design - 2017, Implementation - 2018

Investor: Municipality Ruda Śląska

Design: Krzysztof Rostański, Lechosław Rostański, Bożena Bronicka, Michał Chrapek, Marek Marzec, Pracownia HORTUS Katowice

Consultation: Marta Pogrzeba

Educational paths: Krzysztof Rostański, Adam Rostański, Magdalena Żmudzińska-Nowak, Iwona Jonczy

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