Protest Against Proposed City Center Car Park in Kaarster With Citizen's Petitions Against the "New Kaarster Mitte" Project
In the heart of Kaarst, Germany, a heated debate is unfolding over the future of the town center. A citizen initiative, "Stop the Pestalozzistraße Parking Garage," is actively urging residents to re-examine the plans for the New Kaarst Center and voice their concerns about environmental impacts, increased traffic, and changes to the neighbourhood character.
The New Kaarst Center redevelopment aims to modernise the town center, focusing on contemporary retail spaces, community amenities, and pedestrian zones. City planners are addressing sustainability concerns, exploring alternatives to the initially proposed parking garage, such as underground parking solutions or better public transport connections.
Marcel Schulze Bomke-Vossschulte, former chairman of the city development, planning, and traffic committee, has expressed his concerns about the current plans for the city center. Sandra Pauen, who initiated the citizen initiative, is determined to raise awareness among Kaarst residents about the proposed parking garage and its potential impact on the city.
The proposed alternative concept for the parking garage includes a sports field above a future underground garage behind the multi-purpose hall. If the citizen initiative gathers the required 2,449 signatures, Kaarster residents would have the opportunity to vote on whether the parking garage is built or not.
Meanwhile, the New Kaarst Center plans involve the construction of a private business and residential building called "House of Possibilities." This development would require the relocation of all pedestrian, cyclist, e-scooter, rollator, and public transport bus traffic to "Am Maubishof" street, resulting in the elimination of all current public and private parking spaces on both sides of the street.
The "House of Possibilities" is a private investment, raising questions about the future look of the Kaarst city center in the area of the Old Military Road. Marcel Schulze Bomke-Vossschulte, a long-serving city councilor who stepped down in the 2020 municipal election, supports Sandra Pauen's project, adding his voice to the growing call for a reconsideration of the city's urban development plans.
For the most precise and up-to-date details, residents are encouraged to consult the official Kaarst municipal communications or local news sources. Sandra Pauen has launched an open petition at www.openpetition.de/petition/online/stoppt-den-bau-haus-der-moeglichkeiten-und-den-wegfall-der-parkplaetze-in-der-kaarster-innenstadt to prevent the construction of the city-center parking garage. The citizen initiative offers Kaarster residents a direct say in the urban development of their city center.
The New Kaarst Center aims to merge sports, business, and residential sectors, integrating a sports field on top of an underground parking garage and a private investment named "House of Possibilities." This move raises questions in the finance, transportation, and sports industries about the future cityscape along the Old Military Road. The calling for public vote, initiated by Sandra Pauen's citizen initiative, signifies a potential shift in decision-making power within the city's urban development, aligning with the industry trend of increased citizen participation in policy-making.
