Thursday, October 1, 2020

Tempelhof 2020

 On the southern part of Berlin-City....rests Tempelhof (or what remains of the old airport and runway).  The size of the area?  Roughly 2 km by 2.5 km.

If you go up around the old airport structure itself....it still stands, and has no clear plan on the future.  The runway and grassy area?  It just lays there.  

For a brief period, it was used as a refugee holding point.

Long-term planning?  It's basically locked into a major political battle.

I noticed this morning via a RBB (public Berlin-City TV) discussion....that the FDP Party would like to establish a plan.  Basically, their vision is that one-third of the acreage would turn into apartments, with the rest serving as a city-park.

The Linke Party enthusiasts?  They want the park to stay 'as is'....no changes....no added structures.  On an average summer weekend, there are probably five-thousand folks using the runway/ramp areas, for jogging, biking, or roller-skating. On the grassy areas....folks have picnics.

Trying to limit this to just a Borough decision?  You have people from all over Berlin-City itself....who use the runway and airport as a recreation area.  

The shape of the runway in terms of asphalt degradation?  No one says anything negative, and you might get thirty more years of use (at least safe-use) before something has to be done.  

The fact that Berlin-City is short on affordable housing?  Well....most all political folks in the city readily chat on  that topic, but they aren't all willing to go and re-use Tempelhof in that fashion. 

In some ways, it's become sacred ground and you can't touch it.  

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