Proposal put forth by the Commission
Bustlin' 'Bout the BIG Lake!
The Mining District of Neuss is on the verge of a major transformation. By the mid-30s, three ginormous lakes – the biggest in North Rhine-Westphalia – will emerge after the Garzweiler open-pit mine's closure. The LANDFOLGE Garzweiler clan is already cookin' up a storm on how we'll use the South Mönchengladbach lake, and they're not afraid to bring the locals into the kitchen. Over 450k folks in neighborin' mining communities are gettin' in on the action, and an online survey (www.jetzt-mitmachen.de/see-tagebau-garzweiler) is runnin' till May 6, 2024. This won't take long, fam, just about 15 minutes, and it's total anonymous, no signups needed.
Here's what Volker Mielchen, the CEO of the association, had to say: "The triple open-pit mining lakes are gonna give the Rhine district a fresh look in the comin' decades, y'all. Once the mine's done, new landscapes will commence. Now's the time to set sail for the various uses of the lake post-Garzweiler open-pit mine, and this ain't just for the oldheads. This is an opportunity for all of us livin' here, especially the young guns."
So lemme paint ya a picture, the lake will eventually be 160 meters deep, spannin' over 2,000 hectares. Neighborin' towns like Mönchengladbach, Erkelenz, Jüchen, Grevenbroich, Titz, and Bedburg will be right up next to it. We can expect some first uses a decade after the start of lake fillin'. We're talking fishin', sailin', swimmin', you name it. But it's not just about the final plans for the lake, it's what happens in between as well.
The current master plan is all about fordacin' the future of the lake and its shoreline. Ideas and concepts will be gathered, tweaked, and adjusted based on the immediatin' need to exit coal-fired power. This has already shifted the lake's location and shape compared to the original plan. A more economical exit means less of the lake will be mined and it'll now be snug against the federal highway 44n to the west.
www.jetzt-mitmachen.de/see-tagebau-garzweiler. Participation takes around 15 minutes and is anonymous without registration.
The survey results will steer the development of future concepts. They'll be thrown into the mix, makin' up the master plan. But it ain't all online – a Planning Workshop is scheduled for May 21, 2024, in Erkelenz Town Hall. This is where we'll hash out the current state of the master plan and gather feedback from neighborin' communities. On fall 2024, guided tours of the future lake's potential regions will take place for the folks of the nearby towns. The master plan will also be presented to the public – both in person and online, of course.
The online survey's primarily for the folks in the neighborin' mining communities – Mönchengladbach, Erkelenz, Grevenbroich, Jüchen, Titz, and Bedburg. Want to know more? Sign up for our free newsletter to dig deeper into social developments, gourmet eats, arts, and culture in Neuss!
(To learn about the broader LANDFOLGE Nord project and its goals, check out Gladbacher Tageblatt.)
- The transformation of the Mining District of Neuss will bring opportunities for environmental-science and climate-change research, as the new lakes can serve as a site for exploring changes in ecosystems triggered by industrial activities.
- Finance and energy sectors may play a crucial role in the development of the South Mönchengladbach lake, as the lake can potentially serve as a source of renewable energy, such as wind or solar power, and attract investments for infrastructure development around it.
- The LANDFOLGE Garzweiler clan can foster partnerships with scientific institutions and industries to ensure the sustainable use of resources, including those related to energy, finance, and environmental-science, in the development and management of the South Mönchengladbach lake.
