Cologne is swapping playgrounds” for action areas” – what’s behind it?

Cologne is swapping playgrounds” for action areas” – what’s behind it?

Cologne is facing a significant change: the city administration has decided to abolish the term “playground”. Instead, the new term “play and activity area” should be used to appeal to a broader target group. Around 700 playgrounds in Cologne will be affected by this change - the signs will have to be replaced gradually. How fr.de reports, the administration justifies this step by saying that the term “playground” primarily addresses children and therefore represents a limitation. The new name is intended to appeal to all age groups and promote interactive encounters, which should also take the idea of ​​inclusion into account.

The background to the decision is a resolution by the Youth Welfare Committee that was made almost two years ago. The city has provided an impressive 38,000 euros to enable the development of new signs. Not only experts were involved in this process, but also children and young people who worked together with the Junge Stadt Köln association and a design agency to design the sign. The new term will be officially introduced from autumn 2024, says ksta.de with.

Simulation games for the future

But the plans are met with great skepticism. Mayor Henriette Reker recently expressed her lack of understanding about the project and called for a decision from the city council. There is a hail of criticism on social networks - many citizens are dissatisfied with the project and are complaining about the city administration. The final decision on the planned renaming is expected to be made on September 4, 2025, pending city council approval.

The signs for the affected facilities are not only because of the new term, but also because they are outdated and no longer correspond to the municipal strategy. The new signs should be designed to be visually appealing - they show fictional people in motion and do not allow any conclusions to be drawn about their age or cultural background. The city also wants to further promote the idea of ​​inclusion.

Renovation for everyone

A further step towards modernization is a play and activity area in Johannes-Giesbert-Park, which the city is already planning. However, the renovation of the existing gaming facilities is a question mark due to the current budget situation. In general, the scope planning for 2025 to 2030 envisages building or modernizing more than 120 new facilities. In addition to classic playgrounds, football and basketball courts, skating and obstacle courses and water play areas are also part of this project.

The current status shows that there is currently only 1.2 square meters of play space per resident in Cologne. The city council decided seven years ago that two square meters should be the new guideline. In order to get closer to this goal, targeted action is necessary.

The decision to abolish the term “playground” marks a new path - the question remains as to whether this actually has the desired effect or whether the Cologne population may remain more accustomed to the traditional term. With this in mind, it remains to be seen how the city council will decide in September and what further steps will follow to implement the plans.