Tampering for Suitable Accommodation: Youths in Dilemma
Title: Don't Miss a Beat: "The Morning Brief"
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The once-thriving building now requires a significant overhaul: Youth center Q1, kindergarten museum, and scouts are being forced to vacate their current location. The city has been aware of this since 2024, but lacks suitable alternatives as of yet.
The affected parties remain in the dark. "We haven't informed our youth yet," says Christian Kulka, director of youth center Q1. It was only recently that the news of the center's necessary relocation at Quirlsberg came to light.
Behind the Scenes
What was simply presented as a brief update from the mayor during the last meeting of the youth welfare committee, has been a known issue to the city for quite some time: The city has confirmed that the evangelical church had already terminated the rental agreement with the city in writing back in October 2024.
Nitty-Gritty Background
The building in question is owned by the city, as is the land. The long-term tenant is the evangelical church, with a so-called roof and facade clause stating that the church is responsible for maintenance work on the property. However, the costs and efforts to maintain the building proved too much.
A Long List of Issues
The city has acknowledged the building's poor condition, with numerous technical service defects and urgent need for improved energy efficiency. The estimated cost of renovating the building is considered extraordinarily high. Even self-renovation doesn't seem to be an option for the city.
Apart from youth center Q1, the kindergarten museum and scout home are also seeking new locations, as they too have contracts with the evangelical church.
Initial Moving Date Pulled Back
September was originally slated as the moving date. However, the city assumes that the rental agreement can be extended "by mutual agreement" until December 31, 2025. Discussions regarding this extension have taken place between the church and the city.
The Future of Youth Center Q1
The ultimate fate of the youth center is still uncertain. Since the termination in the fall of 2024, Q1 has been awaiting the city to present a new spatial perspective. The church is interested in continuing the "successful youth work" alongside the city at a new location, according to Kulka.
Finding suitable premises is a top priority for the city, with Department Head Claudia Werker mentioning the possibility of renting a retail space in the city center for youth work as a potential solution.
For Kulka, ensuring the continuity of contact with visitors and maintaining a reliable city center contact point is crucial. The open youth meeting place for children and young people must also continue temporarily at an interim location.
A Museum's Plight
The fate of the NRW Kindergarten Museum is also uncertain: Since its inception in 2004, it has been located in the basement of the building on Quirlsberg. A plethora of historical childcare items give a glimpse into the evolution of public childcare - from storage facilities to pedagogical institutions. This fall marked the museum's anniversary, attended by NRW Family Minister Josefine Paul. At the time of the celebration, the chairwoman of the supporting museum association already knew about the upcoming move: "Losing our current location would be a significant blow, but we hope to find other spaces and not have to store the exhibit pieces, or else the museum will cease to exist," fears Brigitte Holz-Schoettler.
The city is currently working on temporary solutions and a permanent new location for the kindergarten museum, according to its own statement. Holz-Schoettler has suggested moving the museum to the Zanders site as one potential solution. "My dream would be for the museum and the vocational college on the Zanders site to be in the same building," expresses Holz-Schoettler.
Publicity Informed Late
In spite of the termination having been pending since October 2024, the administration did not inform the council members (and ultimately the public) via a publicly posted notification in the council information system, but simply through a "mayor's message" which was read aloud at the meeting by the administration - in this case by Claudia Werker.
"This arrangement was agreed upon in the working groups with us," reports Holz-Schoettler, who leads the Youth Welfare Committee as an SPD member. The city confirms that the message "was communicated in advance in the working groups with both CDU and SPD/Greens." During the committee itself, there was only a question about who had terminated whom. Further discussion did not occur.
For those interested, the administration justifies the procedure as follows: "Mayor's messages are essentially like notifications, just in oral form."
The time between the termination and the notification to politics was utilized by the administration to negotiate with the Protestant church on potential solutions for the continuation of youth work in the city center, and to seek alternatives for the location of the kindergarten museum.
Update: In the meantime, the city administration has responded with more concrete solutions. Find the latest update from June 8th here.
Potential Buyer Interested in the Buildings
Negotiations regarding potential acquisition of the property at Quirlsberg have been ongoing between the city and the Evangelical Hospital (EVK), though no definitive agreements have been reached as of yet.
"We are aware of the public interest in the fate of the building on Quirlsberg, as it has long been a prominent location for important social and cultural offerings," says Sebastian Haeger, CEO of the EVK.
Whether the acquisition is a viable option for the EVK hinges upon the building's significant need for renovation and the economic feasibility. As a non-profit hospital, investments must be carefully considered. "In principle, we are prepared to participate in solutions that benefit the common good," Haeger says, but the specifics of these solutions remain uncertain at this time.
Investing in real-estate opportunities might be an avenue for those interested in the fate of the building on Quirlsberg, as negotiations regarding potential acquisition of the property have been ongoing between the city and the Evangelical Hospital (EVK). The city is actively seeking suitable premises for the relocation of youth center Q1, with the future of the NRW Kindergarten Museum also uncertain. Financing the renovation of the building is a major concern for the city, as the estimated cost of renovations is extraordinarily high and self-renovation doesn't seem to be a viable option.
