Workshop on August 25th continues participation for Waldkolonie and Akazienweg
How should the Waldkolonie (Forest Colony) and the area around Akazienweg (Acacia Way) develop in the coming years? Citizens can contribute their assessments and priorities at a public workshop on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. The event, organized by the City of Darmstadt, will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the hall of the Paul-Gerhardt-Gemeinde (Paul Gerhardt Parish).
The workshop is part of the urban development program "Social Cohesion" and continues the citizen participation process that began in March 2026. The focus is on the Integrated Urban Development Concept (ISEK), which will form the basis for concrete measures in the Waldkolonie/Akazienweg development area.
Measures are presented and jointly evaluated
The event will begin with a presentation of the individual measures developed by "STADT BERATUNG Dr. Sven Fries GmbH" and "prosa Architektur + Stadtplanung BDA" on behalf of the city. Following this, citizens will be asked to participate: Together, they will evaluate the proposed measures according to their importance for the neighborhood and establish priorities.
“The ideas and experiences of the local residents form the basis for the sustainable and livable development of the Waldkolonie and Akazienweg,” explains Mayor and Head of Social Services Barbara Akdeniz. Following the initial meeting in the spring, the next step is to jointly evaluate the measures developed. The perspectives of the residents will be directly incorporated into the development plan.
Planning Director Paul Georg Wandrey also sees public participation as an important part of the process. The professionally developed measures provide the framework, but the assessment of the citizens is now crucial. "Their priorities help us to implement the next steps in a targeted manner and in the best interests of the district," said Wandrey.
The development concept is to be decided by the end of 2026
According to current plans, the Integrated Urban Development Concept (ISEK) is to be submitted to the city council for approval at the end of 2026. It will then form the binding basis for the development of the designated funding area in the coming years.
The workshop on August 25th is not the last opportunity for participation. In the further process, residents will have additional opportunities to contribute ideas, offer suggestions, and jointly define priorities. The central question is: what measures can be taken to improve the quality of life in the district?.
The federal and state governments are promoting the development of the neighborhood
Since 2025, the Waldkolonie/Akazienweg area has been part of the nationwide urban development program "Social Cohesion". Darmstadt receives funding for this from the federal government and the state of Hesse.
The program enables the implementation of various projects in the neighborhood. These include, for example, the upgrading of social infrastructure buildings, the redesign of playgrounds, and improvements to green spaces.
“This project is a great opportunity for the neighborhood,” Akdeniz and Wandrey emphasize. They encourage residents to take advantage of the opportunities for participation and to actively shape the further development of the Waldkolonie (Forest Colony).
Workshop “Social Cohesion”
Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2026, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Hall of the Paul Gerhardt Parish, Paul-Gerhardt-Platz 1, Darmstadt
Topic: Development of the Waldkolonie/Akazienweg funding area and prioritization of planned measures
Participation: public
Further information can be found on the website for the Waldkolonie/Akazienweg funding area.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/stip)
