City by the river: neighbourhood park on the Pleißenbach
As part of "Stadt am Fluss", the district park on Pleißenbach is the largest of the intervention areas of Chemnitz as European Capital of Culture 2025. The site of the former Altendorf goods station between Beyerstrasse and Rudolf-Krahl-Strasse was characterised by wasteland, succession and an ecologically disadvantaged, heavily built-up natural area. Following the withdrawal of the railway, there is now an opportunity to create a new part of the city with open spaces for public use as well as additional areas for housing, community use and commerce, including flood protection.
Bridge at Pleißenbach district park cleared
The newly constructed viaduct in the new neighbourhood park on Pleißenbach can now be used. The illuminated bridge connects the neighbourhoods of Kaßberg and Altendorf between Limbacher Straße and Gutsweg and is open to pedestrians and cyclists. In the event of snowfall, the bridge - as in all municipal parks - is only accessible at your own risk. The cost of the viaduct is around 1.5 million euros.
The temporary scaffolding bridge on Erzbergerstraße is already being dismantled. The city of Chemnitz had rented this bridge for the construction period of the new viaduct in order to ensure a pedestrian connection between the two districts.
Meanwhile, work continues in the neighbourhood park at Pleißenbach. The construction site in this construction phase stretches from Rudolf-Krahl-Straße to Paul-Jäkel-Straße and between Limbacher Straße and Gutsweg. In addition to the continuation of the premium cycle path, which is around one kilometre long, new park paths are being created. High-quality planting enhances the area: a total of around 100 standard trees, 4,000 shrubs, 7,500 perennials and 25,000 square metres of seeding with various seed mixtures. The result is a variety of attractive places to spend time. A playground, which reflects suggestions from public participation, will also be integrated into the park.
Valley bridge in the Pleißenbach green corridor raised
The viaduct in the Pleißenbach green corridor was lifted into place on 13 September 2024. The approx. 65-tonne steel superstructure was lifted into the prepared abutments using a mobile crane weighing approx. 650 tonnes. To do this, the bridge was rotated once completely free-hanging.
The bridge has a total length of 59 metres and is 3.50 metres wide between the railings. The bridge area is 205 square metres. All steel components are corrosion-protected. Before the final coating was applied, they were sandblasted on site in an elaborate and noisy process and then coated in the colour micaceous iron ore grey. The railings, which are still to be installed, will be coated a shade lighter. The floor covering consists of a reaction resin-bonded thin covering in sand grey.
The bridge runs in a straight line from north to south. The southern connection bends westwards after the abutment. In the north, it is connected to a crossing parkway. The bridge rises by 1.60 metres from south to north. The off-road path connections will be constructed together with the landscaping. The bridge is expected to be open to traffic from December 2024 and can then be used on foot and by bike.
The costs amount to approx. 1.23 million euros. The bridge excavation was carried out by Krause & Co. Hoch-, Tief- und Anlagenbau GmbH from Adorf. The excavation work on the future connecting structure is now largely complete.
Funding decision for third construction phase handed over
On Wednesday, 30 August 2023, Regina Kraushaar, President of the State Directorate of Saxony, handed over a funding decision of 3.8 million euros for the district park at Pleißenbach to Mayor Michael Stötzer. This means that the third construction phase can begin on this intervention area of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025.
Centrepiece of the park is created
A park landscape is being created on the former goods station site, forming the centrepiece of the district park. In addition to the renaturalisation of the stream, which is still straightened today, a park-like landscape is being created in various sections and a new pedestrian bridge is being built. Construction work has already begun.
The pure waterway construction work in the third construction phase extends from the "Am Stadtgut" bridge in the west to the abutment of the Erzbergerstraße bridge in the east, which was demolished in 2011. Over a further 650 metres, the Pleißenbach will be transformed into a near-natural watercourse by removing riverbed and bank reinforcements and other obstructions and extensively modelling the terrain. The redesigned, natural course of the watercourse not only serves to protect and preserve the flora and fauna, but also to protect against flooding. In addition, the design of the derelict site will be enhanced.
A total of around 4.2 million euros will be invested in the waterway works for the third construction phase. 3.8 million euros are the funds handed over today by the Free State of Saxony from the Waterways/Flood Protection Directive with a funding rate of 90 per cent.
Construction work on the watercourse is scheduled to end on 31 December 2024. The final remaining work, maintenance services and services by other trades will continue until May 2025. Provided there are no unexpected interruptions, the green corridor can be fully utilised from then on.
The entire project is being managed by the Leipzig-based planning office Station C23. Following a Europe-wide tendering procedure, the landscaping and gardening company Steinbach & Richter GbR, Lichtenau, was commissioned to carry out the work, as was the case for the first construction phase. The planning office Stowasserplan GmbH & Co KG from Radebeul will be responsible for the engineering biology and watercourse construction.
In addition to the renaturation of the watercourse, the open space around the watercourse will be redesigned in the third construction phase and the new viaduct will be built from late autumn 2023.
The area of the third construction phase will be cordoned off during the construction period. Access to the construction site is prohibited for safety reasons. Passers-by and local residents must therefore expect restrictions and detours or diversions, as the direct connection between Limbacher Straße and Gutsweg via the site is not possible.
First construction phase already completed
The first construction phase has already been completed. The renaturalisation of the Pleißenbach stream - including the design of the adjacent open spaces up to the newly built premium cycle path west of Rudolf-Krahl-Straße - was completed in early summer 2023. The once straightened and partially obstructed watercourse was given a new look; the ecological functions of the stream were revived by modelling a near-natural water profile.
In addition, nesting boxes for grey wagtails and dippers were installed and site-appropriate seed mixtures were planted on the ground. Larger trees and shrubs, on the other hand, will not be planted until autumn this year to avoid intensive watering over the summer months. The site will be maintained by the construction company Steinbach & Richter GbR for another three years.
Biotope is created
A replacement measure for species protection, which was necessary for the clearing and felling work on the site of the former goods railway station, has also been completed. In spring, around 800 large shrubs such as cornelian cherry, blackthorn, dog rose and other native species were planted on an area of around 1.3 hectares on the Kalkstraße industrial estate. The area is currently fenced off to protect it from game browsing. In the long term, the area is to be extensively managed to ensure the colonisation of the garden warbler in particular - a small native songbird species.
Overview: The individual construction phases
In the city council's construction resolution of July 2022, the implementation of the following sections was initially set in motion:
- Section west of Rudolf-Krahl-Straße (industrial wasteland):As part of the watercourse planning, the Pleißenbach is to be widened in the first construction section at the level of the wasteland and an old pond, side arms are to be formed and the millrace arriving to the north is to be opened up. The tree population in the western area forms the basic structure of the new facility alongside the newly created stream and will be largely preserved. Natural stone blocks will provide seating near the future cycle path. The central open meadow area on both sides of the Mühlgraben will be further developed and strengthened as a fresh location with tall herbaceous vegetation. On Rudolf-Krahl-Straße, the trees outside the watercourse construction area will be preserved and a tall herbaceous meadow will also be established at the foot of the embankment to the Pleißenbach stream.
- Section from Rudolf-Krahl-Straße to the former Erzberger Straße:The new central green corridor covers an area of almost 2.4 hectares and, in addition to the design centrepiece - the promenade with playground and recreational areas - will in future include key landscape elements as well as path connections with rest areas to open up the park and connect the neighbouring districts. In addition, the new Wüstenbrand - Küchwald cycle path will be integrated into the new Pleißenbachgrünzug park. The character of the former railway line is to be preserved. Extensively used, meadow-like and self-developing areas are to be further developed using native, site-appropriate seeds and plants. Historic railway relics (buffer stops, set rails, kilometre stones, masts, etc.) will be preserved along the entire former railway line, restored where necessary and integrated into the green corridor.
- Cycle path:With the acquisition of the former Küchwald-Wüstenbrand railway line in 2018, the city of Chemnitz is taking the opportunity to connect the western suburban areas and Chemnitz city centre via a premium cycle path around 13.5 km long. Today's decision involves a 1.04 km long section, with a section of the cycle path already under construction to the west on Rudolf-Krahl-Straße.
- Compensation area: The area of around 1.3 hectares with commercial surroundings is located around 1.5 kilometres from the planning area in Rottluff. The development of the compensation area results from the development plan as a measure for compensation (in the sense of 1a para. 3 BauGB). Early species protection measures for the garden warbler species are to be implemented here. This area is to be upgraded by planting approx. 500 metres of new large shrubs and extensive maintenance of the remaining area.
Urban development framework plan
An urban development framework plan was adopted in 2016, which envisaged the creation of a public park with stream renaturalisation and cycle paths as a development goal and which is now being implemented step by step.
In 2022, the approval procedures for the partial measures/construction phases are still to be carried out, the implementation plans drawn up and funding applied for. All stakeholders will continue to be closely involved in the planning process. The citizens' platform and the public will be involved in order to adequately represent all interests as far as possible.
Archive: Press releases on the topic
Review
Info walk for interested parties
There is great public interest in the development of the site, and these plans were presented on site on 6 October 2022: More than 150 members of the public took part in a walk around the site, which has now been overtaken by nature and man.
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Previous participation formats
08.11.2014: Citizens' dialogue
- Short exploratory walk with planners
- Presentation of the analysis and first concept phase
04.12.2014 Citizens' forum Mitte-West
- Presentation of the analysis and first concept phase
16/05/2015 Citizens' forum centre-west
- Together with the Parks Department
02.07.2015 Citizens' workshop & discussion evening
- Preparatory survey as a flyer
24.11.2015 Citizens' forum centre-west
- "Citizens' forum special" - Altendorf railway station
21/08/2021 Citizens' forum centre-west
- Presentation of the plans and the development plan,
- Suggestions from the public requested
Until 2019, the overall measure was funded under the "Future Urban Green" urban development programme. From 2020, the district park at Pleißenbach has been transferred to the successor programme "Lebendige Zentren" (Vibrant Centres), in which the federal government and the Free State of Saxony support measures to improve the urban green infrastructure in Chemnitz. They will be used for urban development measures that serve to create, renovate or improve and connect publicly accessible green and open spaces as part of the structural preservation and development of neighbourhoods as liveable and healthy places.