On the initiative of the residents, the old kiosk in the Franckviertel was saved. Now it will be revitalized soon. But there is already a lot going on there, carried by the special “Franckviertel spirit”.
LINZ. Bernhard Hummer describes the “Franckviertel spirit” as saying: “The population’s enthusiasm for communal coexistence”. Hardly any project embodies this spirit like the kiosk on Stieglbauernstrasse. Committed neighbors had made it into their heads to revitalize the largely empty “relic from the time before the supermarkets” and to use it as a community center. There is enough demand for this, because the Franckviertel is obviously a good breeding ground for neighborhood initiatives and small associations, such as the Schlot cultural association, the Franck Kistl shopping community, the barter market, the learning board, the Franck café and many more. There are just as many ideas for the kiosk. Some want to set up a repair café, others a sewing workshop. Many simply want an open meeting place.
Unanimous resolution of the municipal council
It didn’t look so good at first. The city reacted rather cautiously to the plans, because the kiosk was actually supposed to be demolished. Then came the corona crisis and slowed down efforts. But the Franckviertler stuck with it and this persistence paid off. On the initiative of the Franckviertel FPÖ councilor Zeljko Malesevic and the SPÖ councilor Regina Fechter (SPÖ), a unanimous local council resolution for the preservation of the kiosk came about on September 24th. A new usage concept is to be developed together with the population. What exactly this will look like is still unclear, because the flare-up of the corona crisis in autumn messed up the schedule.
–A new village square in the district
Nevertheless, a lot has happened there. There is a small communal garden on the lawn next to the kiosk. In addition, two until recently vacant shop windows are used as stages by different protagonists. For this project called “Bingo-Bingo”, the neighborhood association for nutritional sovereignty, the “Franck-Kistl”, won the LinzKultur / 4 award, endowed with 10,000 euros. The kiosk with its garden becomes a village square, where something is always happening: crazy shop windows raise questions, flags fly in the park. Five “bingo kiosk” chairs and a rattan sofa invite you to linger. The garden is weeding, drinking coffee and crocheting.
–Excellent project work in the kiosk
Since May 1st, an exhibition in one of the shop windows deals with the workers’ history of the district. In the garden window, on the other hand, the ceramic artist Helene Huemer (with her studio on Brunnenplatz), together with the artist Lali Benjamini and the kindergarten from Cremeristraße, succeeds in creating a “networking installation” of pictures and ceramics from the district that could hardly be more different. And the next exhibition is already at the kiosk door. The nearby cultural association Schlot will design a shop window for three weeks and actually play “bingo” with passers-by. If you want to experience the “Franckviertel spirit” for yourself, you have the opportunity to do so on Friday, May 14th from 1pm.
You can read more stories from Linz here.
Living with the Franckviertel spirit
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