A better public park in Breiðholt
We invite residents to share ideas for improving the public park in Upper Breiðholt, located between Fellaskóli and Hólabrekkuskóli. Reykjavík City and FB (Fjölbrautaskólinn í Breiðholti) participate in GreenInCities alongside 11 other European cities. This initiative aims to improve the quality of green spaces for both residents and wildlife. Public parks bring people together and strengthen social connections within the community. The park in Upper Breiðholt plays a vital role in the neighborhood and serves as the focus of the Reykjavík project.
Drop-in sessions at Breiðholtslaug
Reykjavík City staff and project partners will be available at Breiðholtslaug on the following dates and times: March 17, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; March 18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; March 19, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; March 20, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. We encourage residents to stop by and share their views. The GreenInCities project will use this collected feedback to develop proposals for area improvements.
GreenInCities is an EU-funded Horizon project designed to enhance green spaces and biodiversity in cities. Community participation and consultation are central to this effort. We believe the park holds tremendous potential to strengthen the Upper Breiðholt community.
A space for vibrant public life
Well-designed public parks support well-being, safety, and public health while serving as spaces for diverse public life. Reykjavík's neighborhood plans prioritize strengthening communities, improving the urban environment, introducing sustainable and eco-friendly solutions, and enhancing green spaces and parks. The neighborhood plan covering all three Breiðholt districts took effect in May 2022, featuring enhanced vegetation across the area as a key component. The public park in Upper Breiðholt is designated as a neighborhood park for diverse outdoor recreation, featuring play areas, a quiet zone, and opportunities for urban farming.
The City's new urban design policy recognizes green public spaces as essential to city life. Evaluating the area alongside residents is therefore incredibly valuable.
History of the park
Architects Geirharður Þorsteinsson and Hróbjart Hróbjartsson led the planning of Upper Breiðholt around 1970. A central feature of the plan was the core area, placing schools, sports facilities, and a large public park at the heart of the neighborhood in a sunny, sheltered location.
Pioneering landscape architect Reynir Vilhjálmsson was brought in to design the public park; he had previously designed key outdoor recreation areas in the city, including Klambratún.
Development of the park in Upper Breiðholt took considerable time. Head of Landscaping Hafliði Jónsson's account in the 1984 annual report paints a vivid picture of the work's progress: "The park still has a long way to go before becoming an attractive outdoor recreation area, but Breiðholt residents could greatly accelerate this process by looking after the grounds, preventing the same cultivation work from being repeated year after year due to poor conduct."
A few years later, the situation had turned around: the tree cover was thriving, and Breiðholt residents had grown attached to the park, learning to treat its vegetation with care.
Since the park reached its current form, it has seen only minor changes beyond routine renewal and maintenance.
Wildlife in the park
The common redpoll is one of the park's smallest residents and a crucial part of its wildlife. Among the hardiest passerines, this bird features a distinctive red patch on its forehead and is remarkably resilient, even burrowing into snow to survive the winter.
As a seed-eater, it thrives in the shelter of the diverse tree cover. It feeds mainly on birch seeds but also seeks out sunflower seeds, and it has recently learned to extract seeds from spruce and pine cones.
One of GreenInCities' goals is to strengthen the common redpoll's habitat in the Upper Breiðholt neighborhood park, providing support for a diversity of small birds alongside it.
We encourage residents near the park and anyone interested to visit Breiðholtslaug next week, chat with our staff, and share their thoughts on how to make a great park even better!
