Floridsdorf-Jedlesee:
Unsaintly Alliance between Klosterneuburg Monastery and City of Vienna
  |
Mittwoch, 19. November 2008
New Housing Area threatens historic Village Centre and shrinking GrasslandKlosterneuburg Monastery is a great land owner (not only) in the 21st district of Vienna. Austria’s Social Democratic Party rules by absolute majority (not only) in this district. Together the two of them form an unsaintly alliance with truly feudal characteristics if economic interests are at stake. Thus it is the monastery’s and its real estates’ company’s intention to finally gain profit from their fallow land in the centre of the former village Jedlesee in the 21st district of Vienna, named Floridsdorf. The area had been leased by a tennis club until it was shut down in 2003. The most promising way to earn material benefits from it would be a rededication of this estate from “recreation and sports” to “building site”: The district’s and the City’s authorities won’t hesitate too seriously regarding the fact that a building company with links to the Social Democrats will also have its share in the deal. Finally, so they assume, everyone involved in the planned construction of 180 flats in blocks of up to almost 16 metres on an area of about 21.000 square metres will get their profit. Home owners within the neighbourhood and its vicinity take a different stance, though. In April 2008 they founded a citizens’ initiative to fight this Christian-Socialist blessing, which is being forced on them. In the interest of future generations they want to see existing dedications respected – those for grasslands and recreation as well as those for the protection of cultural heritage. Ensemble under preservation order in danger The disputed area is situated immediately behind a tiny one storey castle just 4,5 metres high. This Maria Theresien-Schlössl was built around 1650 in the centre of what was the Jedlesee village of those days, historically documented as the oldest part of today’s 21st district in Vienna. Together with a small church opposite to it and some few old family houses this Baroque building forms an ensemble under cultural protection, at the same time marking a gate towards the adjacent Viennese Green Belt. Parts of this protected grasslands immediately beside and behind the tiny castle have been severed in the 1970ies already and added to the tennis club’s area. To the north the disputed land stretches towards the newest residential buildings with up to eight floors, which have been the last to be accepted by the locals without resistance, as well as towards a row of adjourning old family houses. The strictly protected Viennese Green Belt lies immediately behind the western border of the contended area. Potential flat buyers allured by “village atmosphere” fading at the same time Two of our members have been fighting for the preservation of the remnants of this neighbourhood’s village atmosphere not just since the formation of the citizens’ initiative but since 2005 already. The two ladies themselves had been motivated to move into newly built flats in Jedlesee by the slogan “reside in town and live in a village”. Soon after they were confronted by continuous destruction of this atmosphere by ever more new blocks of flats, which were added. They tried to contest this development by countless handwritten letters, telephone calls, demands for personal appearances with civil servants and politicians and visits to them. It was in vain. Unfortunately this did not change much when more combatants came in with the formation of the citizens’ initiative and the new availability of electronic communication via Internet in April 2008. It is just as easy not to reply or to send formal and meaningless answers to registered handwritten letters as it is with e-mails. Yet, the forming of the initiative and its work quickly helped to mobilize a significantly wider public. Within no more than ten days 700 signatures had been collected in protest against the desired rededication of grassland for the construction of apartment buildings. By the end of October 2008 more than 2.000 supporters had signed the initiative’s lists. Governor of the district: Project is on track Apart from the Greens all our efforts to find support with the political parties were in vain at the beginning. The Greens even introduced a motion with the district council containing the initiative’s demands for preservation of the grassland. Yet it was rejected by all other parties in favour of a second motion initiated by the Social Democrats, which called for the construction of those apartment buildings. An official reception of an initiative’s delegation by the district governor was granted. The discussions were to the point, but in the end the citizens were just told the project was on track inevitably. Offers by the monastery and the Social Democrats to arrange for a small park or a public playground at the edge of the housing area and to grant co-determination regarding the choice of colours on the outside walls were considered sheer mockery by the locals. A park in a meadow seemed nothing but foolish to them, and an ample playground has been existing for years already just ten metres diagonally opposite the tiny castle. And the colours of undesired walls did not seem interesting to anyone. Anyway, in summer 2008 it was possible to arrange meetings with leading representatives of three opposition parties in the district. Yet again full support came from the Greens only. But it was possible to examine the respective positions with the others, who generally complained to be largely powerless. Material profit outmatches quality of life Ideas and suggestions for utilization of the area in compliance with the existing dedication were presented by members of the initiative – but there was no chance to get them realized. This applied to a concept for a natural playground in a small wood, which should be reforested and could include a fitness course for children, adults and seniors. It also applied to the proposal to establish beds for flowers or vegetables accessible to locals without gardens of their own. These ideas have a characteristic in common: Realizing them would not be a costly matter, but contrary to large blocks of rented flats they won’t render material profit for either the monastery or the city. And there are no calculable standards for measuring the loss of quality of life caused for today’s and future locals. In spite of the fact that the citizens’ initiative cannot but lose in this regard – or maybe because of it – they will continue their struggle for the preservation of nature, culture and quality of life in the centre of old Jedlesee. Latest developments: On October 22nd, 2008 the official presentation of the winning architects’ model showing eight blocks with four and five floors on the present grassland caused a shock not only to members and sympathizers of the citizens’ group. Politicians showed their disapproval as well. In the follow-up the district council on November 5th unanimously accepted a proposal for a Round Table to be organized. All parties involved – monastery, politicians, construction companies, architects and the citizens’ initiative – will discuss the whole matter anew and with “open results”. A date has yet to be fixed. The final decision about rededication or not is not likely to be made before autumn 2009. Sissy Danninger for the Jedlesee Initiative in November 2008 [ zurück ]
|
