Compounds are particularly widespread in German and are feared by non-native speakers – but sometimes they can also describe the core of a thing very well, for example when you take them apart again. For example, the comparatively short parking lot is composed of parking and space – or of park and space. Because it was about the latter recently in Ebersberg: a parking lot is to be turned into a park.
Strictly speaking, it is more of a park, a small green area in the east of Marienplatz, where cars are currently parked. To be more precise: Only one car at a time, because the applicants for the nature agenda group had tried to have a single parking space specially used. As explained by Kai Platz from the Café Zukunft initiative, it is to be redesigned into a so-called parklet – which could actually be translated as “little park”, but of course it is also a composite of “to park” and “to let”.
In any case, this parking space provision is suitable for improving the quality of stay at Marienplatz. Specifically, a kind of seating area under green plants is planned, so you could pot a few trees and set up flower boxes. This, as explained by Heidi Atzer from the nature agenda group, would be done by volunteers, as would the upkeep. The operators of the surrounding shops have already agreed to occasionally look after the park and to let the initiators know in the event of littering or damage.
The city administration had recommended approval for the vote in the finance committee, since the project would be cost-neutral for the public coffers – at least almost. Because the fact that the parking lot makes room for a park, the city escaped roughly 500 euros per year in parking fees. In view of the very tense budget situation – the city treasury is missing almost four million euros for 2023 – one should do without even the smallest additional voluntary benefits, according to Hans Hilger (CSU). His parliamentary colleague Florian Brilmayer expressed concerns about road safety and suggested creating the small park on the area in front of the Mariensäule.
The majority, on the other hand, supported the applicants’ proposal. Only one parking space was affected, said Josef Peis (Pro Ebersberg). Susanne Schmidberger (Greens) pointed out that the city spends significantly more money on greening elsewhere than 500 euros a year. “It’s affordable,” said Stefan Mühlfenzl (SPD), and it was also a positive example of citizen participation. In addition, if Marienplatz becomes more attractive, says Petra Behounek (Green Party), more people will come to shop, which means more tax revenue. Otherwise, according to Eduard Zwingler (FW), you should simply hang up a donation box to compensate for the parking fees. It is not yet certain whether this will happen, but the park should now be given its place in the coming weeks.