Safety as a Condition for Social Interaction in Green Spaces: Rockfall Risk Assessment in Bednarski Park, Kraków

Urban parks, as shared public spaces, play a crucial role in fostering social integration, providing recreational opportunities, and enhancing residents’ quality of life. However, effective operation requires ensuring user safety, particularly in areas with elevated geological risk. This study assesses slope stability and rockfall risk in Bednarski Park in Kraków, established within a former limestone quarry—a site with unique natural and cultural value. The research used numerical modelling with the Finite Element Method (FEM) and rockfall trajectory analysis with the Rockfall Block Impact Model (RBIM) and Discrete Element Method (DEM), covering eight sectors of the park. The analysis focused on evaluating the Factor of Safety (FS), as well as displacement and rebound parameters of rock blocks, to identify zones with increased landslide susceptibility and local rockfall hazards. The results revealed significant spatial variability in stability conditions. The findings form the basis for developing design recommendations that reconcile geotechnical safety requirements with social expectations. Public consultations conducted alongside the scientific investigation enabled adaptation of planned mitigation measures to the park’s cultural and landscape values. The study underscores the need for a balanced approach to urban green space revitalisation, in which user safety is a fundamental prerequisite for maintaining the social functions and openness of public spaces. By integrating geotechnical risk assessment with community expectations and landscape conservation, the study supports a sustainable approach to the revitalisation and long-term management of post-extractive urban green spaces.