Five candidates

Wanted: The biggest concrete desert in Salzburg!

15,000 square meters: The Areit parking lot in Zell am See is in the running for the negative award.

(Bild: Mitja Kobal / Greenpeace)

"9 places, 9 concrete treasures": Greenpeace wants to choose the worst places of soil sealing in the whole of Austria. Five Salzburg squares are also in the running for the concrete prize.

What is the biggest concrete treasure in Salzburg? The nature conservation organization Greenpeace wants to find an answer to this question. Under the title "9 places, 9 concrete treasures", the organization is looking for the place with the greatest soil erosion in each province. In Salzburg, five places are in the running and can be voted on. Together with a jury, the population has until 22 July to choose who they think deserves the dishonorable concrete prize.

In addition to the chalet village at Pass Thurn near Mittersill, Salzburg's old town squares and the airport are also on the shortlist. The Schlotterer extension on the Adnet fields and the parking lot of the Areitbahn in Zell am See are also on the shortlist. According to Greenpeace, they all have one thing in common: up to 175 hectares of concrete covering 15,000 square meters. They have thus become landmarks of modern construction.

The historic squares in the old town around Salzburg Cathedral have been nominated.

(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

Old town squares and parking lots
However, the nomination for the award does not seem to be justified everywhere. Salzburg's old town squares are undoubtedly heat islands, but they have grown historically. When the Residenzplatz was redesigned, it was ensured that it was more permeable and even had its own gravel surface.

We knew nothing about the vote and were never contacted! There are trees, green spaces and infiltration areas in the parking lot. We are even prepared to make improvements.

Erich Egger, Vorstand Schmittenhöhe-Bahn

Bild: BARBARA GINDL

The Schmittenhöhe cable car is even angry about the nomination of its Areit parking lot. "We laid extra grass tiles, created green areas and planted trees," says CEO Erich Egger, who found out about the vote for the concrete prize from the newspaper. "I would have liked us to have been contacted in advance. We could have clarified and set the record straight."

In Schlotterer's case, the project is still a long way off. However, the approximately 43,000 square meter sealed area, which is now largely a meadow, has already made it into the Greenpeace selection.