Deutzer Hafen: A dream for families and water sports enthusiasts comes to life!

Deutzer Hafen: A dream for families and water sports enthusiasts comes to life!

A very special “Port Day” took place in the Deutz harbor on Saturday, which attracted numerous visitors who were curious about the developments in the new city quarter. Viele von ihnen hatten eine wiederkehrende Frage: „Wann kann ich hier einziehen?“ The anticipation of what will emerge there is palpable. Construction of the harbor park, which is located between the wooden hall and the swing bridge, is scheduled to begin this year. The start of construction on a new vehicle bridge over the harbor basin is also imminent, which will further improve accessibility to the area Review online reported.

On harbor day, a rope with pennants marked the route of the new structure and the plans were welcomed by many in attendance. The civil engineer Hermann Naphausen, whose daughter lives in Neuehrenfeld, was particularly interested in the project, while district mayor Andreas Hupke described the Deutz harbor as a “lighthouse project”. He emphasizes the need for the Council to secure the projects in a timely manner. The Deutzer Hafen is not only described as an attractive residential area, but also as an attractive place with lots of open space and a variety of leisure options.

A place for sport and relaxation

A highlight of the harbor day was the diverse range of sports on offer, ranging from skating to teqball to dance performances. Children had the opportunity to play on a large digging pile made of 40 tons of sand or to try out excavator driving. The old wooden hall, which will be retained as part of the redesign, will be used for leisure activities such as basketball and football. In addition, the old harbor basin is to be made accessible for non-motorized water sports. We are also examining how the area at the harbor park can be made accessible to swimmers. Users such as stand-up paddling are also planned.

A small but nice detail is that beekeeper Onur Bozna's bees already live in the harbor, whose honey is available from a machine at the swing bridge. Such initiatives contribute to the lively atmosphere of the district and make the Deutzer Hafen a little unique in Cologne.

Sustainability in focus

With a future population of around 6,900 people and the creation of 6,000 jobs, the issues of energy supply and sustainability are also high on the agenda. The planned development envisages comprehensive energy optimization of the buildings, including the use of photovoltaic systems and a climate-neutral district heating supply using a low-temperature network. A central component will be the EnergyHub, which will act as a local substation to secure the power supply for Poll and Deutz and supply the district with green district heating. The City of Cologne highlights that electromobility will also be expanded with planned mobile stations and charging stations and an ecological energy concept will be developed.

The challenges due to climate change and the energy transition are great. The Fraunhofer UMSICHT emphasizes the need to reduce CO2 emissions and involve citizens in developments. The renovation rate of buildings should therefore increase in order to achieve climate protection goals. Sustainable mobility concepts are also required to ensure quality of life and infrastructure. All of this shows that a remarkable change is underway in Cologne, which benefits both the urban space and the environment.