Morgenleite park opens
Handover to future users on 17 August, around 12.30 pm
On Saturday, 17 August, at around 12.30 p.m.*, the Morgenleite park will be opened for the anniversary and family festival "50 years of the Fritz Heckert residential area" and officially handed over to the future users by Mayor Michael Stötzer.
The completed water playground is the first water playground in the city of Chemnitz to go into operation. Parts of the Morgenleite park were opened for use back in June. In addition to the Garden of Tranquillity, the eleven exercise elements can now be used for sporting activities.
Work on the redesign of the Morgenleite park as a public square began at the end of March 2024. The start of construction was preceded by lively public participation. As early as 2019, consideration was given to which area could be redesigned if the city were to win the European Capital of Culture title. The choice fell on the Morgenleite park, the so-called "green heart of the Heckert area", which connects Markersdorf and Helbersdorf.
The "Intervention Area" working group of the Citizens' Platform South, which was set up specifically for this purpose in 2021, jointly developed a wide range of ideas for the design of the area. It was important for those involved to take on board the wishes of all generations. An information day on site gave all interested parties an idea of the area and the design possibilities. Citizens were invited to vote on the specific ideas via an online questionnaire and in the Südblick neighbourhood newspaper. The result was finalised in spring 2022.
The project was divided into three sections: A water playground was built in the entrance area on Wladimir-Sagorski-Straße, eleven exercise elements were established along the main paths and the existing Garden of Tranquillity was upgraded and expanded. The existing car park has been reactivated and upgraded, offering opportunities for young and old alike. The recreational and experience value has been improved and with it the attractiveness of the site.
The work was carried out by Grünbau Bad Schlema GmbH. The construction was supervised by Storch Landschaftsarchitektur. The construction costs totalled approx. 310,000 euros plus planning costs.
The project was financed by federal and state Capital of Culture funds. Additional funding from the urban development project "Growth and Sustainable Renewal - Vibrant Neighbourhoods" made it possible to finance additional elements in the park.
Background:
The public squares are the result of intensive participation by the people in the neighbourhoods and localities. The stakeholders from the city's neighbourhoods put a lot of thought into the project and, together with their citizens, selected a public space to be redesigned as part of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025. Each of the eight areas of the citizens' platforms and each of the eight incorporated localities will receive a maximum of 325,000 euros. For example, a pavilion in Küchwald, a rest area on the Chemnitz Valley cycle path, a themed circular hiking trail around the village of Kleinolbersdorf-Altenhain and a lift at Wittgensdorf primary school have been implemented, creating a barrier-free event space in the assembly hall.
The public squares are one of the 30 intervention areas of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025. They are the city of Chemnitz's urban development project for the Capital of Culture, which now involves an investment of over 60 million euros.
*Note: 12.30 p.m. Building Mayor Michael Stötzer inaugurates the information stele at the Vita Centre, immediately followed by the opening of the Morgenleite Park. (see press release 541)