Category: General (Page 1 of 2)

To listen the interview, please, click on the following link: https://o94.at/programm/sendung/id/2470907

Since fall 2023 up till today, I have informed representatives of the Green party in the district of Leopoldstadt about the aims of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative. The leading candidate of the Green party for Leopoldstadt Bernhard Seitz is the only candidate of the municipality elections in the city of Vienna ‘25 who directly has integrated the aims of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative in his campaign. Bernhard Seitz directly promotes a “greening“ of the Karmelitermarkt in a promotion right at the bus station at the Karmelitermarkt in the case he wins enough votes to become the new district mayor the of Leopoldstadt. Have a look at it in the picture below.

The representatives of the Neos party (liberals) in the district of Leopoldstadt have been informed by myself about the aims of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative, from fall 2023 till today. The leader of the Neos Leopoldstadt brought in a petition for mobile cooling plant elements for the Karmelitermarkt, the past year. You have already been informed about this Neos initiative at this platform. Despite of this, there are no election posters of the Neos party around the Karmelitermarkt, and, hence, no sign of integrating the aims of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative in the Neos campaign for the upcoming elections on 27 April ‘25.

For more than a year till today, I have informed the representatives of the ÖVP (conservatives) about the goals of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative. Until today, there has been not any feedback from any ÖVP representative of the district of Leopoldstadt. The election posters of the ÖVP around the Karmelitermarkt do not show any sign of potential ÖVP greening initiatives for the Karmelitermarkt, neither. Have a look at the ÖVP election poster yourself, below.

Several trials to get in contact with the district mayor (DM) of the Leopoldstadt from the SPÖ (socialdemocrats) simply have been ignored by the DM, in 2022. In 2023, after a collection of signatures of supporters for a greener and more cooling overhaul of the Karmelitermarkt showed more than 50 % of the more than 7,000 people that live directly at and in the vicinity of the Karmelitermarkt long for a more cooling and greener Karmelitermarkt, the DM was willing to meet in August 2023with two representatives of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative. In this meeting, the two representatives of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative with backgrounds in the technology and innovation realms offered the DM to find financial sources and technical solutions for a greener and more cooling restructuring of the Karmelitermarkt integrating the wishes of the people that live in the area, within a year. Follow-up meetings offered by the DM himself, however, simply were called off with short notice by the DM himself. You have already been informed on the given and not kept promises of the DM on this site; an experience with the DM that also other similar initiators around the market have made with the current DM. The election poster of the current DM directly at the Karmelitermarkt itself does not integrate any idea of a more cooling or greener overhaul of the Karmelitermarkt if the current DM is re-elected. Have a look at the picture taken from it below.

There has been an unplanned contact with the leadership of the KPÖ (communists), in winter 2025. Anne Glatt, the leading election candidate of the KPÖ for the district of Leopoldstadt, fights for more climate justice; the representatives of the KPÖ also would temporarily provide “@trailer_beet“ as small greening elements for the Karmelitermarkt, as I have been informed. The election posters of the KPÖ directly at the Karmelitermark, however, do not integrate any aim of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative. Have a look at the picture below.

Since climate change has intensified for the past ten years, the Karmelitermarkt has developed into one of the hottest heat zones of the city, as we have once again experienced the past two months. It is–beyond the other, not so hot seasons–also still a deserted asphalt desert for six days every week right in the heart of the Karmelitermarkt district. The area easily could become a more human and welcoming space with spots to sit and of encounter; which even would further streghthen the existing market structures.

Technologically, a garage under the Karmelitermarkt is not a problem anymore to create a more cooling and inviting Karmelitermarkt, like the district authorities wrongly claim in the media; there is only a need to make a political decision for a more humane remodeling of the space; respectively, the garage owner of the Karmelitermarkt-parking, who earns good money with it, also should be invited to make her financial contribution.

To what extend the reason to not remodel the Karmelitermarkt already for so many years has to do with plans to erect a commercial center at the market, like a business person informed me about un such a rumor, I cannot verify.

„I fight for your future“ advertizes Mr. Nikolai’s deputy, Mr. Zich, on an election poster right at the Karmelitermarkt as top candidate of the SPÖ for the district of Leopoldstadt, the past days. Mr. Zich wants to represent the wishes of about 7.200 people that live around the Karmelitermarkt, in the parliament, if he gets sufficient ballots in the upcoming elections, in three weeks.

A year ago, Mag. Zich also assisted the first get-to-know-each-other meeting of Mr. Nikolai with two representatives of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative; until today, Mag. Zich has not shown any interest in the aims of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative; despite a further attempt to get in contact with him after the fallout with Mr. Nikolai. The two representatives of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative – both technology experts and ready to find ways of financing together with the district’s leadership – consciously entered the first get-to-know-each-other talks with Mr. Nikolai in offering support instead of presenting demands.

I have not been member of any party, and finance this initiative privately, and after the broken promise of Mr. Nikolai, I have contacted all democratically engaged parties within the district parliament of Leopoldstadt in order to inform about the aims of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative. At https://www.karmelitermarkt.eu/en/neuigkeiten/ you find all respective groups that until today have offered solutions for the Karmelitermark, although they are still not fully developed. All other parties did not offer any solutions or thoughts. https://www.karmelitermarkt.eu/neuigkeiten/ At https://www.karmelitermarkt.eu/en/neuigkeiten/ you find all respective groups that until today have offered solutions for the Karmelitermark, although they are still not fully developed. All other parties did not offer any solutions or thoughts.

I appreciate many achievements of our beautiful city. Undoubetly, they are also a merit of the socialdemocratic party in this city. Nevertheless, I fear, Mr. Mag. Zich will not really „fight for the future“ for the people living an working at the Karmelitermarkt, as my experiences with him have shown me. Therefore, I recommend you not to vote for Mag. Zich, but for another person on the list of the SPÖ or other party of your choice, who according to your opinion is a better choice in taking seriously the wishes of the people in the neighborhood of the Karmelitermarkt.

Past year, a survey has illustrated far more than 50 percent of about 7.200 people that live in the vicinity of the Karmelitermarkt long for the realization of the aims of the Karmelitermarkt-Initiative. 7.200 people are about 10 percent of the electorate of the district of Leopoldstadt.

The salary of a district mayor and her|his deputy is financed by the taxes you pay. It is their duty to protect you from the ever increasing negative outcomes of climate change at the Karmelitermarkt; respectively, to create a public place which is a space of being and encounter between the young and old.

Ihre richtig gesetzte Stimme in drei Wochen kann so das Zünglein an der Waage sein, das mitentscheidet, ob eine andere Person der SPÖ oder einer anderen Partei Ihrer Wahl, die besser geeignet sind, die Anliegen der Karmelitermarkt-Initiative umzusetzen, für das Karmelitermarktviertel im Parlament am Ring sitzen wird. Nutzen Sie Ihre Möglichkeit, zur Wahl zu gehen.

It’s once again summer here at the Karmelitermarkt. There had been and has been going on something.

Interestingly, about three years ago, the green party of the district („Grüne“) had started an initiative here at the Karmelitermarkt to render the area with more trees, architecturally more quality of life and cooling down its temperatures. This initiative then had been stopped by the social-democrats (SPÖ) and the conservative party (ÖVP). To read more on this, simply click on this Link.

Remarkably, a new initative of the „Neos“ party has come into life to provide the Karmelitermarkt with mobile green spaces. During the past district assembly the Neos brought in such a request. This request has been forwarded for further consideration and debate to the environmental council of the district. The latter will be open to decide on Neos‘ request in September 2024 and November 2024. Both meetings will be closed-door debates.

Imagine if suddenly there are eight to ten green islands at the open space of Karmelitermarkt during the week, in which you can have a sit in surrounded by self watering plants–thanks to photovoltaics-enjoying the breeze of cooler airs and having a good time with friends. These mobile green elements can be removed before the weekend markets and can be positioned back after the markets. At least, such green mobile islands would be a first start to create a more liveable, greener Karmelitermarkt. Read more about this Neos‘ request by clicking on this Link.

The Rotenkreuzgasse in the neighborhood of the Karmelitermarkt has been restructured, which has cost many thousand Euros of taxpayer money. Unfortunately, the sidewalks as well as the street have once again been resealed with water-impermeable asphalt. If at least the sidewalks had been unsealed, i.e. if they only had been covered with a water-permeable and lighter stone pavement, the Rotenkreuzgasse would not so easily heat up during heat waves. Rainwater could moist the ground. During heat waves – which will hit the Karmelitermarkt neighborhood more frequently in the future – the water of the moist ground can evaporate, a process that cools down the street. In the Kleine Sperlgasse such a lighter, waterpermeable stonepaving has been used.

Grätzeloasen (neighborhood oases)- https://graetzloase.at -are a welcome initiative to create sitting spaces and green areas with flowers in front of your own building. Nevertheless, they do not solve the issues with the increasing temperatures during heat waves in the Karmelitermarkt neighborhood. Grätzeloases are positioned ontop of asphalt that significantly heats up during heatwave days.

Till today, there is no further reaching out of the district mayor regarding the concerns of the Karmelitermarkt-initiative. Despite of his word given in August 2023.