Pedestrian zone in Munich: the building department puts up 280 more chairs - awnings, more trees are checked

Created: 08/10/2022, 14:41

By: Sascha Karowski

There is more space to sit in Munich's pedestrian zone.

© Kurzendörfer

The building department has created 280 more seats in the pedestrian zone.

However, the city council is pushing for other ways to provide relaxation and cooling.

Munich - Munich takes a seat - the building department set up around 280 more chairs in the pedestrian zone in July and August.

This was announced by the city council.

In this context, the committee unanimously voted to examine other possibilities for relaxation and cooling: summer sails, spray mist, the uncovering of city streams, drinking water fountains and more trees.

Tobias Ruff (ÖDP) on the heat plan for Munich: "Our city is affected very differently than the flat country"

All of this is urgently needed, said ÖDP boss Tobias Ruff.

In the two-week heat wave last year alone, there were 5,000 additional deaths across Germany.

“I just want to clarify the influence of temperature.

Our city is also affected in a completely different way than the flat country.”

The heat in Munich is an issue, said Green City Councilor Paul Bickelbacher - but also from social aspects.

"Many people actually prefer to stay within their own four walls in the summer because it's cooler there than outside." One could also think about water features in the summer streets, but ultimately more trees would also bring more cooling.

"That's the right way, we have to plant more trees." In addition, it should be considered whether the city will buy furniture that has parasols and can be set up in the summer streets, for example.

More chairs in the pedestrian zone: "You obviously put up everything that was there"

In terms of furniture, the building department seems to have actually cleared out the basement.

"You obviously set up everything that was still there," said SPD leader Anne Hübner.

But you can certainly talk about further purchases.

Water features, spray mist, awnings – she can well imagine that on Sendlinger Strasse.

"The department should look at everything and identify where there are places."

The administration must finally do something, interjected CSU boss Manuel Pretzl.

After all, the ideas are well known.

"What I'm hearing here is old wine in new bottles, almost every parliamentary group has applied for this in recent years."

In fact, the building department is currently examining around 2,000 locations for new tree plantings in the city, as city director Florian Schnabel explained.

Studies are underway for other facilities.

"Everything is going well, but a lot of things don't happen overnight."