Municipality now wants to upgrade another area

The planned removal of parking spaces in Unterägeri has met with resistance, and the municipality now wants to counter this with new parking management regulations. The Alte Turnplatz will therefore remain unchanged for the time being.
 

The plan was for a traffic-free square with plenty of open space that can be used flexibly, but which is primarily intended to offer the population a place to spend time outdoors. The cover page of an assessment report shows shady trees and a water feature. This is how the Alte Turnplatz (old sports field) near the church in Unterägeri could have looked.

The ‘Kardia’ project by Zwischenraum Landschaftsarchitektur GmbH from Altendorf has now been put on hold. ‘We are focusing on the development of the Oberdorf area, the forecourt of the Ägerihalle and the Acher school grounds,’ explains municipal president Fridolin Bossard. This makes more sense in the current situation. This is also because the municipal administration's temporary offices will be located on the Alte Turnplatz during the renovation of the old village school building (Dorfschulhaus), which is expected to last until 2028. But that's not all.

The conversion and repurposing of the Alte Turnplatz would have meant the loss of around half of the current 80 parking spaces – and this has caused discontent. The SVP (Swiss People’s party) is currently collecting signatures against the removal of parking spaces in the village centre. ‘The project would thereby have a difficult time today,’ says Fridolin Bossard. The municipal council has therefore changed its strategy: the regulations on parking management in the municipality will be amended before the parking spaces are removed.

The space between the Ägerihalle and the Acher school complex in Unterägeri is to be made more welcoming                Visualisation: zvg

Many parking spaces, but poor distribution
There are a total of more than 650 public parking spaces available in Unterägeri, including the multi-storey car parks at the Coop and Migros shopping centres. An evaluation of the parking spaces in the centre shows that only those on the Alte Turnplatz are very well used. The multi-storey car parks are only half full most of the time. ‘There are enough parking spaces in the village centre, but utilisation at the Alte Turnplatz is too high,’ summarises Irene Iten-Muff, who is a municipal councillor and, as the head of security and services, is responsible for this issue. The municipal council is aiming to shift the debate, including through pricing.

"The parking charges at the Alter Turnplatz will be adjusted to those of the multi-storey car parks. The municipal regulations are 20 years old,‘ says Irene Iten. So a change is appropriate. In future, the municipal council will be able to flexibly adjust the rates for municipal car parks. ’Other municipalities do the same," she explained.

Specifically, the municipal council is planning the following: short-term parking for up to two hours will remain free of charge. Irene Iten explains: ‘For those Unterägeri residents who come into the village to drink coffee or shop, parking will remain free of charge.’ Each additional hour will cost two Swiss francs. This brings the parking charges into line with those of the multi-storey car parks. Long-term parkers can purchase a monthly ticket for CHF 180 (or CHF 60 for overnight parking). Until now, the price for monthly tickets has been CHF 40.

Employees of the municipal administration and teachers will also be brought on board, as they also like to use the parking spaces next to the church. ‘In cooperation with the ZVB, we have developed a mobility concept for our employees,’ says Councillor Iten. Incentives are to be used to encourage employees to switch to public transport or bicycles, or to make use of other parking spaces. ‘The relocation should make parking spaces available for the public again at the Alte Turnplatz,’ he added.

A parking guidance system is also planned, which will be introduced in spring 2026. ‘This will allow drivers to navigate directly to parking spaces, eliminating the need to drive around looking for a space,’ says Irene Iten-Muff.

Priority for the Oberdorf centre design
At the upcoming municipal assembly (Gemeindeversammlung) on the 15th December (8 pm in the Ägerihalle), voters will be able to decide on the parking management regulations, as well as the first stage of the Oberdorf Centre design. This project is now being given priority over the renovation of the Alte Turnplatz. The aim is to create a multifunctional space on the Alte Landstrasse between the Waldheimstrasse and the Haus Musica, with the forecourts at Ägerihalle and the Acher school complex.

The area is already a traffic-free pedestrian zone. In future, the space between the Ägerihalle and the Acher school complex is to be made more friendly and inviting. ‘It’s also important that the area is better protected from the summer heat. This applies in particular to Haus Musica and the Acher Süd school building,’ explains Fridolin Bossard. In addition to unsealing the ground and planting green spaces and trees, the installation of light-coloured asphalt will also help. The demand for more bicycle and scooter parking spaces will also be met.

Before the main road was built along Lake Ägeri, the Alte Landstrasse was the main connection to Oberägeri. This must remain recognisable, according to a requirement of the Monument Preservation Authorities (Denkmalpflege). This will be made possible by retaining the paving stones at the roadside. The Alte Landstrasse will also continue to be used for traffic diversions, for example, during the Ägerimärcht (Ägeri market).

At the same time, the municipal council is taking the opportunity to transfer the artistic design of the Ägerihalle to the new square. The lines designed by Unterägeri artist Albert Merz will be continued on the road. ‘These lines of life will form a connecting element,’ says Fridolin Bossard.

The total project will cost CHF 2.9 million. The ‘Kunst am Bau” (art in construction) will account for a relatively small part of this. Fridolin Bossard estimates CHF 97,000 ‘from the concept to the implementation’.