CDU Essen Karnap's Five-Year Project: Building an Accessible City Centre in Karnap
In the heart of Karnap, a vibrant neighbourhood, a vision is taking shape. The goal is to transform the municipal building at the Karnap Market into a permanent, barrier-free citizen's centre that caters to all generations. This initiative, driven by the principles of universal design, aims to strengthen the neighbourhood sustainably and harness the existing municipal potential in a socially, generationally appropriate, and sustainable manner.
The proposed centre will undergo comprehensive modifications to ensure accessibility and inclusivity. This includes retrofitting or redesigning the building to comply with accessibility standards, installing elevators and ramps, widening doorways, and incorporating tactile signage and accessible restrooms. The centre will also feature inclusive community spaces, adaptable to cultural, educational, recreational, and social activities for families, youth, adults, and seniors.
Safety and comfort are paramount. The centre will feature safety measures like emergency exits and clear signage, as well as comfortable indoor environments with good lighting and air quality. Maintenance protocols will be put in place to support long-term usability for all users.
Technology will play a significant role in the centre, with digital access points and assistive technology being incorporated to enable participation of differently-abled citizens and those with varying technological familiarity.
Community engagement is key to the success of this project. Community members from all generations will be involved in the design process to address actual needs and preferences, leading to better adoption and satisfaction.
Besnik Kelmendi, the CDU council candidate for Karnap and Altenessen-Nord, is actively advocating for this proposal in the political discourse. He believes that barrier-free access should be the standard, especially in public facilities. The project has a concrete chance to enable real participation for all citizens.
The CDU local association board Essen-Karnap, including Stefanie Kölking, Besnik Kelmendi, and Torben Salzsiedler, explicitly supports this project. The Karnap Citizen's Alliance 1999 e.V. moved its social counseling services to the barrier-free Helene-Reinhold-Senior Center at the Karnap Market in 2021, setting a positive precedent for the proposed citizen's centre.
Hashtags like #CDUKarnap, #BesnikKelmendi, #BarrierFreeNow, #CitizenCenterForAll, #InclusionStrengthens, and #KarnapShapes #NeighborhoodWithFuture are associated with the project, reflecting the community's enthusiasm for this inclusive and accessible initiative.
By creating a modern, intergenerational citizen's centre at the Karnap Market, the project emphasizes the importance of building sustainable structures that improve people's daily lives in the long run. The centre, once completed, will once again make the Karnap Market a lively, inclusive centre of the neighbourhood, open to all.
- The proposed citizen's centre in Karnap Market, upon completion, will incorporate fitness-and-exercise facilities, promoting health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise for all generations, including seniors (men's-health and women's-health).
- The centre will also focus on workplace-wellness, offering resources and programs to promote the health and well-being of workers and businesses in the Karnap neighbourhood.
- With the implementation of technological innovations, the centre will foster an environment of inclusivity, making it accessible to those with different abilities and varying technological familiarity (science).
- The project, driven by principles of universal design, aims to set a positive example for aging communities, demonstrating that inclusive and accessible spaces can enhance the quality of life for all members of society, regardless of age (aging).
