New attempt

City of Graz: 3-point plan for a safe Volksgarten

Graz's Volksgarten is to become more attractive again

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian/Christian Jauschowetz)

Sometimes unabashed drug deals, violent crimes and riots turn the Volksgarten in Graz into a fear zone. Residents have been criticizing for years that politicians and authorities are powerless. Now the city of Graz is launching a new attempt to make the park safer.

For many Graz residents, the Volksgarten is not exactly the kind of recreational oasis where they prefer to let their children play. Residents prefer to avoid the green area in the Lend district rather than linger on one of the benches. Unabashed drug deals, violent crimes and bullying have been on the agenda for years, turning the park, which was created in 1875, into a fear zone. Even though many countermeasures and proposed solutions - such as a protection zone - have so far had little or no success and merely shifted the drug trade to other areas for a short time, the city of Graz is now starting a new attempt.

Mayor Elke Kahr

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Focus on combating poverty-related crime
The mission: "We want to make the Volksgarten safer again for everyone in Graz," says Mayor Elke Kahr, setting the pace. To this end, the communist has brought the Peace Office, a center for non-violent coexistence at municipal level, and the police force on board. The starting point for all the new plans is a months-long survey by the city, which focused on the shady goings-on in green spaces. In particular, young people who consume and resell narcotics were observed: "The main issue now is how to support these young adults so that they don't have to make a living from drug dealing," reports Kahr.

The Graz police will patrol the Volksgarten

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

She is now relying on a three-point plan to reverse the trend. Firstly, a two-person patrol will patrol the park from June 1st, Monday to Saturday from 2pm to 9pm. "The times will then be evaluated and possibly adjusted," says head of the public order patrol Thomas Lambauer. The police will still be present, even without uniforms. The security guards act as a point of contact for the population, aim to increase the subjective sense of security and report crimes.

Lighting, benches: the park is being renovated
The second point is to create offers to motivate senior citizens to linger again. The last and probably most important point: the Volksgarten is being redesigned. "It is currently dark in many places and not easy to see. In addition, the playground is spatially remote," says the KPÖ politician.

Money is now being spent on improving the lighting, possibly relocating footpaths and repositioning the benches. The city is also drawing on external help for the plans. New timetable for the Volksgarten? "There will be no quick fixes, the new concept needs time," says the city manager.