This year's Urban Development Day will take place on Saturday, May 4, 2024. On this nationwide day of action, cities and municipalities will provide information about their projects, plans and successes in urban development funding. In Idar-Oberstein, the redesigned Helmut-Kohl-Europaplatz will be officially inaugurated on May 4 at 11 am and the traditional Wasenfest will take place in the Wasenstraße district from 1 pm to 5 pm.
Inauguration of the Helmut-Kohl-Europaplatz
An ideas workshop on the redesign of Helmut-Kohl-Europaplatz was held back in 2019 on the occasion of Urban Development Day. Around 40 citizens took part and contributed their ideas and suggestions for the design of a new inner-city center on the Idarbach. The ground-breaking ceremony for the extensive construction project took place on last year's action day and is now being completed with the official inauguration of the new square.
In terms of its basic structure and form, the grounds have been retained and, in addition to ecological aspects, offer areas that can be used for a wide variety of purposes. The existing green space has been redesigned to be climate-friendly, and some of the trees and shrubs that had become too large have been replaced with climate-resilient and insect-friendly plants. The mineral mulch used here means that less water evaporates as the soil is protected from drying out, which creates a good temperature balance and reduces the amount of maintenance required. The existing water surface of the fountain pool has been retained and the children's playground area has been renewed. Additional sports facilities were created below the connecting branch to the Nahe superstructure. In addition, the Idarbach has now been made visible and tangible by means of block steps.
Wasenfest in the city quarter
In line with the nationwide motto of the Day of Urban Development "We in the Neighborhood", urban development funding is also intended to help people feel comfortable in their surroundings, strengthen ties with one another and promote coexistence in a stable neighborhood. To this end, the district management of the "Soziale Stadt - Stadtquartier Wasenstraße" is organizing the traditional Wasenfest from 1 to 5 p.m. in the courtyard of the former Flurschule.
It offers a colorful family program for the residents of the neighborhood and all interested parties, as well as a family flea market. Used everyday goods will be on sale, i.e. clothes and shoes in good condition (baby, children, adults), toys in good condition, books, household and decorative items and much more. In addition, urban planning will address the issue of vacancies in the neighborhood from an urban planning perspective. Visitors can find out about the current situation and have the opportunity to become aware of both the risks and opportunities of a high vacancy rate. The St. Walburga daycare center and the Idar-Oberstein social work daycare center will also be supporting the events with a stand. In addition, TV 1848 Oberstein will once again be taking part and offering sporting activities for visitors. The Begegnungscafé Wasenstraße will also once again be providing support and the Advisory Board for Migration and Integration will be providing information about the Integreat app and organizing activities for children.