Bydgoszcz turns to water and greenery – project to restore the Bydgoszcz Canal

Talks have begun in Bydgoszcz on restoring the section of the Old Bydgoszcz Canal that was filled in during the 1970s between Grunwaldzkie roundabout and Grottgera Street. If the project succeeds, the city will gain a new pedestrian-friendly space that supports climate change adaptation. The inspiration came from the Dutch city of Utrecht.

A buried marvel of engineering

The Bydgoszcz Canal is the oldest inland waterway canal in Poland still in operation. Built in 1773–1774, it was an engineering marvel of its time. It connected the Vistula and the Oder through their tributaries and brought prosperity to Bydgoszcz – thanks to it, trade and industry developed rapidly in the city. It was a very picturesque, green area, captured in many old postcards and photographs.

In the 1970s, a roughly 500-metre section in the city centre along Marshal Focha Street was filled in: from Grunwaldzkie roundabout to its outlet into the Brda River at Grottgera Street. The intervention was explained as necessary to adapt the space to increasing car traffic and to build a transport artery. Today, however, not everyone agrees with that decision.

Will the Bydgoszcz Canal be uncovered?

The Bydgoszcz Urban Movement Association, in cooperation with architect Paweł Mrozek from Gdańsk, has prepared a concept for restoring the buried section. Its route would be similar to the original before the canal was rebuilt in the early 19th century. The aim of the project is to transform a space that today serves mainly car traffic into an attractive and green part of the city that is friendly to residents, pedestrians and cyclists.

The concept assumes that part of the car traffic would be redirected to other roads, primarily the expanded WZ route.

We want to show a way of thinking about the future of Bydgoszcz’s city centre. The city already has major successes in turning toward the Brda River. Funding for rebuilding the missing section of the canal can be sought in European and national programmes for climate change adaptation and the development of green and blue infrastructure, explains Paweł Piątkowski, vice-chairman of the Bydgoszcz Urban Movement.

Bydgoszcz follows the example of the Netherlands

The concept and visualisations were presented on 18 November 2025 at the conference Bydgoszcz Canal – hidden potential. How can uncovering part of the canal transform urban space?, held at the Bydgoszcz Canal Museum. The special guest was Ben Nijssen, an activist from Utrecht in the Netherlands who successfully campaigned for the reconstruction of the buried canal in his city.

Bydgoszcz and Utrecht are cities of similar size and share a history closely connected with water. In the 1970s, Utrecht decided to fill in parts of its canals to make room for car traffic. Years later, however, a shift in transport policy occurred and the former canal system was restored. Today, transit traffic bypasses Utrecht’s centre, which has become a welcoming space for residents and visitors.

A panel discussion featuring experts took place during the conference, with scientists, architects and representatives of municipal institutions participating. They unanimously agreed that the decision to restore the buried section of the canal is necessary and will benefit the city.

“I believe it is worth saying ‘yes’ to the restoration of the canal. We need the green light from decision-makers, and this requires first preparing the WZ route and investments on the upper terrace of Bydgoszcz. This can be done within a timeframe of a dozen or so years,” said Wojciech Nalazek, director of the Municipal Roads and Public Transport Authority in Bydgoszcz.

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main photo: Stowarzyszenie Bydgoski Ruch Miejski

source: based on a press release from the Bydgoszcz Urban Movement Association (Stowarzyszenie Bydgoski Ruch Miejski)