New green space in Maua: garages become a place to relax

A new green space enriches the Maua district. The city of Jena has unsealed a former garage area on Lutherweg and transformed it into a natural clearing with a rest area. Where concrete surfaces previously dominated, trees, a flower meadow and a seating area consisting of two benches and a table now invite you to linger. The area is framed by 18 newly planted trees, including bird cherry and weeping cherry, which set accents with flowers in spring and colorful fruit in autumn.

Extensive deconstruction as a contribution to climate adaptation

"There were still garages here until spring. These were dismantled with considerable financial support from the federal program for adapting urban spaces to climate change and the areas were renatured. It sounds simple, but it required a lot of effort. For example, asbestos roofs had to be professionally disposed of in very large, lockable plastic bags. Unsealing surfaces and greening are key components of climate adaptation - they help to reduce heat islands and increase the quality of life in the urban area," explains Lars Liebe, Head of Urban Development at the City of Jena.

Before the dismantling of parts of the "Am Rödigen" garage complex in Maua was implemented, there were lengthy discussions about dismantling in favor of climate and nature conservation as well as the townscape. In the end, 18 garages were dismantled at the Maua site, which were accessed via their own small paths. Seven garages located directly on the path will remain for the time being.

Benefit for the townscape

The dismantled garage complex was in a poor condition and, with open gates, graffiti and unused access roads, was not an attractive sight on the outskirts of the village. For Jacqueline Fischer, mayor of Maua, the new design is therefore a gain:

"A beautiful place to linger has been created for the district, which invites you to take a short break during a walk. At the same time, Maua is helping to make Jena a better place to live in the face of global warming."

The trees and meadows will initially be maintained by a specialist company for three years, followed by Kommunalservice Jena. A litter garbage can was deliberately not installed, as these are often prone to vandalism along hiking trails and regular emptying incurs additional costs. Should problems nevertheless arise, a bin could be retrofitted.

With this measure, the city of Jena is putting the motto "More green in the city" into practice: Instead of unused garages, Maua now has an attractive area for nature and local recreation.