After more than a year of closure, the inclusive business has reopened, modernized and renovated
After being closed for just over a year, the coffee house at the Waldfriedhof cemetery in Darmstadt reopened on September 1st. During the closure, work was carried out on fire safety and occupational safety, and the premises and equipment were modernized. The coffee house employs people with and without disabilities.
Mayor Barbara Akdeniz and Head of Parks Michael Kolmer visited the coffee house for its reopening. They even helped out in the service area for a while, under the guidance of the staff.
Fire safety and occupational safety improved
The closure last year was due to necessary structural modifications. The work was based on a fire safety concept that addressed the requirements of preventative fire protection and occupational safety.
Many of the technical changes are not immediately visible to guests. Among other things, the flooring in the dining area was replaced, and there were also renovations in the stairwell. The rooms were freshly painted, and new refrigerated display cases were installed.
According to the city, the Darmstadt municipal enterprise for workshops and residential facilities (EDW) invested an additional €15,000 in more modern kitchen equipment. The Parks and Green Spaces Department, as the property owner, undertook the majority of the construction work.
Shared workplaces since 2014
People with and without disabilities have been working together at the coffee house near the forest cemetery since 2014. This employment opportunity will continue with the reopening.
“Inclusive workplaces are important places for the integration and participation of people with disabilities,” Akdeniz and Kolmer explained. The coffee house demonstrates how people with and without disabilities can work together.
Akdeniz also emphasized the continuity of the service: "People with and without disabilities have been working together in the coffee house since 2014. With the reopening, this important collaboration will continue."
^(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/stip)
