Cologne's playground becomes an action area - adults are outraged!

Cologne's playground becomes an action area - adults are outraged!

There is currently a buzz in Cologne about renaming “playgrounds” to “play and activity areas”. While the city administration is sticking to the new name, many adults are vocal in their criticism. Maja Tölke, chairwoman of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Youth Association, accepts the challenge on her behalf and makes it clear that this consideration is primarily about the needs of young people. In her opinion, the opinions of adults play a secondary role when it comes to creating space for new forms of play and exercise. The city plans to replace around 700 old signs to encourage movement and activity and not just focus on playing, as [Bild] reports.

Different views come together in public discussion. Critics of the renaming, including Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker, have concerns and argue that the term “playground” is clearer and more understandable. Reker is demanding a final decision from the city council, which is scheduled for September 4, 2025. Despite this skepticism, the city administration sees the old name as “outdated” and emphasizes that “play and activity areas” are better suited to a modern and diverse society, as [Die Zeit] notes.

The idea of ​​inclusion in focus

The idea of ​​inclusion is of central importance to the city of Cologne. The new name is intended to appeal not only to children, but also to young people and adults, thus promoting a meeting place for all generations. The term “play and activity area” should also include areas for skateboarders, exercise areas and football pitches. It remains to be seen whether the implementation of the new signs, which will take place gradually by 2030, will have the desired effects. The focus on diversity should also include pictograms instead of words on the signs in order to appeal to more people, as [nadr.de] explains.

Despite all the positive intentions, there are also critical voices who see the move as symbolic politics. SPD politician Jochen Ott describes the measure as unnecessary linguistic cosmetics. Overall, there is a polarized discussion on social media, with some welcoming the initiative while others vehemently reject it. In order to support the ongoing debates and the topic being addressed, an investment of 38,000 euros was made in the development of new signs. However, the full cost of the replacement is currently unforeseeable, as mentioned in other reports.

A trend with role model character?

Although there are currently no other cities that are specifically following Cologne's example, discussions about modernizing similar terms are ongoing in many municipalities. Language-sensitive approaches, such as the planned renaming in Cologne, could serve as a model and encourage technical standardization in other cities. The exciting question remains whether the move to modern language will actually lead to better interaction with one another and a fairer society.

The ball is now in the city council’s court, and the coming weeks could be groundbreaking for Cologne and beyond. There are opportunities for participation and the question of how adults and children can enter into dialogue. It remains to be seen whether the city of Cologne will meet with widespread approval for its visionary approach or whether the many critics will prevail.