Kappelbach green corridor: "Am Feldschlößchen" play and rest area
A new play and rest area has been created on the "Am Feldschlößchen" intervention site as a Capital of Culture project, inviting young and old to linger, relax, play and take part in sporting activities.
The former, partly unkempt garden area "Am Feldschlößchen" was cleared as one of the intervention areas of the Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 for the project and transformed into a public green space. The result is a bicycle rest area with a play and fitness area and several rest facilities.
A shelter with integrated fitness equipment and a wheelchair-accessible seating area as well as seven bicycle stands were built on the rest area. In addition, a play and climbing tower and further benches offer opportunities to play and relax.
The area has also been enhanced with a wildflower meadow and several tree and shrub plantings.
The construction costs totalled around 170,000 euros. The project is also being financed with urban development funding from the federal and state "Growth and Sustainable Renewal" programme.
The work was carried out by the construction company Grünbau Bad Schlema GmbH. Construction supervision was carried out by sLandArt Landschaftsarchitektur, Chemnitz.
Implementation in sections
In the first construction phase, which will be completed by mid-2024, the bicycle rest area with bicycle racks, benches and a shelter for bad weather was created as the prelude and centrepiece of the facility.
The area opposite the tram museum and the garage campus, between the Kappelbach and the existing footpath and cycle path, had lain dormant until then. Extensive work was required on the cleared meadows and overgrown wooded areas in preparation for the construction project, including the demolition of remaining buildings and the removal of illegally deposited rubbish, as well as the pruning of the trees and shrubs worthy of preservation.
A large piece of play equipment was erected in the centre of the site for children up to the age of 12, which emphasises the proximity to the tram museum and the garage campus and invites them to climb and slide. Permeable planting along the cycle path has improved visibility and thus minimised the risk of accidents in the bend area, while dense planting along the Kappelbach is intended to block direct access to the stream.
In the coming years, an extension of the facility to the west is planned. A near-natural path will connect various play and sports stations and invite people to exercise together.
