“It’s really crazy that Linz missed a chance of the century.” With these words, an OÖN reader summed up the mood of many city dwellers yesterday, who find the Linz city government’s political no to the water bay project on the fairgrounds on the Danube incomprehensible.
As reported, it was primarily the question of costs that brought down the bay as a central element of the project by the architecture collective GUT after five years of discussion. “Deferred for the time being due to the projected costs” (nine million euros) is what the SP city government members call Mayor Klaus Luger, Deputy Mayor Tina Blöchl and City Councilor Dietmar Prammer, for whom the construction of the Ebelsberg indoor swimming pool (cost 26 million euros) has priority.
“Disproportionately expensive compared to other projects” if the redesign would include a water bay, it was said. But the designated area of the bay will be greened and the shore area will be made more appealing. The SP was thus on a line of argument with the FP, whose city councilor Michael Raml was very happy with the result. “The idea wasn’t bad in principle, but it’s just not worth it.” For Raml, this means a budget of three million euros.
The VP and the Greens were left behind. They spoke out in favor of realizing the water bay and, as reported, regretted the decision.
Lorenz Potocnik (Linz+), who initiated the Linz Urban Development Award during his time at the Neos, became clearer, from which the 2018 was still “Danube Island” named project emerged as the winner. Anyone who gets around a little internationally knows what a treasure Linz has with the Danube. “But this treasure is not being unearthed, which is incredibly frustrating and short-sighted.”
Despite the end of the water bay, the suppliers of ideas want it “the little wooden one” record, according to architect Andreas Henter.
Source: Nachrichten
