XXL canvas

Car-free main square becomes a “child-filled” space

Artist and architect Clemens Bauder (left) and VP City Vice-President Martin Hajart are hoping for lots of little Linzers to join them in making the main square bright and colorful with the help of street chalks on October 27.

(Bild: zVg)

From October 28, Klosterstraße will become a pedestrian zone and Linz's main square will be freed from through traffic - but the day before, the central area will be transformed into an XXL canvas for the youngest Linzers.

The ordinance comes into force on Monday, October 28. However, due to the weekend closure, the traffic ban will apply from Saturday evening. This is not the only reason why VP City Vice President Martin Hajart has come up with a special day of action. "We paint the world the way we like it." Under this motto, Linz's main square will be extensively painted for the first time on Sunday, October 27, turning it into a colorful open-air studio for children.

Painting with sidewalk chalks
The artist Clemens Bauder will be working with the Upper Austrian Family Association and the City of Linz's mobility department to kick off the car-free main square. Specifically, on October 27 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Bauder will lead visitors through a course directly on the main square, inviting them to playfully explore the urban space and paint with sidewalk chalks. In addition to the free chalk painting fun, colorful visions and ideas for the city can be temporarily brought to the street at various stations. Answers to questions such as: How do children's eyes see city life? What do children need or want in our city? How can we create more urban (play) spaces and thus a better quality of life for families?

"Linz should become a city for children"
For one day, the central square becomes a canvas for the youngest residents, who can realize their dreams and fantasies on the pavement. For the mobility officer, this is a milestone for families in the city center. Hajart invites all young Linzers to join in the painting. "In the creative hands-on campaign 'Children instead of cars', the youngsters of Linz reclaim the main square with street chalk," explains Hajart. He invites all children to join in and is delighted to have a visible sign for the future of the city. "This is where we want to go. Linz should become a city for children."