Using and designing garden areas together: This wish in the Westsiedlung is being realized thanks to many committed people. To this end, the main sponsor van der Horst Wohnen is making two long-unused former tenant gardens at Veronikastrasse 13, 15 and 17 available free of charge and has concluded a cooperation agreement with the Noah parish/ KunterBund daycare center. In addition, van der Horst is covering the majority of the costs for the renovation of the site and the fencing. The city of Salzgitter is financing the further costs of this refurbishment with urban development funds.
"We are enthusiastic about the idea. The district garden is a project for the community and enhances the site," says Dr. Holger Müller von van der Horst, who has also announced further renovation work in the houses.
For the city of Salzgitter, the project is a nice sign of the joint commitment of the people in the neighborhood. "The educational district garden sets a further accent and enriches the Westsiedlung," says Bonny Reinbeck from the Department for Urban Redevelopment and Socially Integrative City.
A two-part project is planned behind the daycare center: in the front 296 square meter area, an educational area is planned where people can meet, a green classroom and a barbecue area can be set up or joint activities can take place. Thanks to the first donation from the Provost's Office, a garden shed will also be built there.
The second 264 square meter area at the back will then become really green. Plants, vegetables, fruit, an "earth mountain", "wild meadow", there will be all kinds of things to see and enjoy. As the project sponsor, the parish has promised continuous day-to-day maintenance of the areas. The daycare children will experience the garden there and discover everything that needs to be done to make it bloom and grow. The home-grown fruit and vegetables will be distributed directly to the facilities on the Westsiedlung. In this way, the children and young people will learn a lot about nature and the community through play.
Other institutions and facilities have already pledged their support for the "Educational District Garden" and would like to take part. "We look forward to hearing from other interested parties, designers and idea providers," says Dennis Gläser, head of the KunterBund Protestant Family Center, who is also happy to receive further financial or material support. "We want to design the garden together, offer people a place to relax and exchange ideas and experience good times here," says Gläser, who has already received positive feedback from some parents.
The district garden is to become a green meeting place for and by the people of the neighborhood. To this end, there is already a garden working group that meets regularly (currently online) to discuss the further roadmap for implementation and brainstorming. At the next meeting on Monday, the excavation work will be finished; the plans for the fences will be presented and the ideas for planting can soon be implemented. Norddeutsche Landschaftsbau has promised two truckloads of humus so that the plants have a good basis for growing and can perhaps be harvested together for the harvest festival...
Until then, anyone interested in contributing their ideas to the "Pedagogical District Garden" can get in touch so that the district can continue to flourish thanks to many committed people.