475 citizens took part in the survey entitled "Together - not lonely!" on meeting places in Chemnitz's neighbourhoods, which the city of Chemnitz called for in the summer. The aim of the survey, which took place as part of the Capital of Culture project "Spaces of Generosity - Places of Encounter", was to visualise the diversity of existing meeting places, assess their importance for social interaction and gain new impetus for existing and new places of encounter.
From 1 June to 15 September, Chemnitz residents were able to take part online or with the help of paper questionnaires. Many took part via the local community centres, which are important partners in the project.
The results show that public outdoor spaces (275 responses), cafés and restaurants (215 responses), cultural and sports facilities (195 responses) and meeting centres (195 responses) are among the most popular meeting places. Meeting places (116 mentions) and parks and green spaces (103 mentions) were mentioned particularly often as personal favourites.
The main reasons for their attractiveness are the opportunity to meet friends and acquaintances (311 responses), uncomplicated and barrier-free access (291 responses) and a tangible feeling of safety and well-being (282 responses). Most participants in the survey reach their favourite place on foot (332 responses) - an indication of the importance of offers close to home.
Toilets (161 mentions), cleanliness (142 mentions) and seating (137 mentions) were named as important measures for upgrading existing meeting places. In addition, respondents expressed a desire for more places with seating (242 responses), traffic-calmed zones (165 responses) and open barbecue areas or picnic areas (137 responses) as additional meeting places in the neighbourhoods.
Overall, the feedback makes it clear that meeting places are very important for people in Chemnitz and for living together. They create spaces for exchange, strengthen neighbourhoods and help to prevent loneliness.
The results provide the meeting places as project partners, as well as other neighbourhood associations and initiatives, with a basis for further developing existing meeting places and implementing new ideas.
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