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Lack of open space: Young people in Ried are demanding places to meet
In Ried, young people increasingly feel unwanted. Street workers are urgently calling for more space for young people while critical services such as skate and ice rinks are closed.
Lack of open space: Young people in Ried are demanding places to meet
There are currently 1,710 young people between the ages of 12 and 25 living in the city of Ried. This number could be a reason for joy for many communities, but for the young people in Ried it is anything but a reason for enthusiasm. The two Rieder street workers, Elisabeth Möseneder and Dominik Müller, reported serious deficiencies in leisure activities for young people that have remained unaddressed for years. Despite the city council's initial big plans to improve this offer, the necessary changes are not progressing.
In 2020, the then mayor Albert Ortig stated that they wanted to “reorganize” youth work. A youth coordinator was hired, but there has been no major progress since then. Instead, there are worrying regressions, with past offerings such as the popular skate hall and ice rink having to close due to financial difficulties.
A place for young people?
“There is no youth center in Ried or in the entire district,” reported the street workers. However, out of necessity, the young people have created their own meeting places, for example in Weberzeile or Wohlmayrplatz. However, they are not really welcome there. Stay-at-home orders and increased surveillance create an unpleasant atmosphere that makes young people feel further pressured. If more places are blocked, this could make the situation even worse.
The two street workers draw attention to the fact that young people absolutely need spaces in which they can hang out with their peers and experience community. “The open and mobile offerings are often viewed as the only places where their needs can be at least partially met,” explained Möseneder and Müller. They raise the urgent question: Why is the value of open spaces in Ried so often ignored? According to the street workers, both politics and society do not seem to recognize the importance of these places.
For more information on this topic and the background to current developments, further details can be found here.