155 years it was mined in Bottrop, coal. Now the mine’s history. However, in the city in the Ruhr area, take the farewell left. Carsten Green explains what’s behind this optimism.
To Prosper, all the wheels stand still
For decades, the coal mine Prosper-Haniel was not only the largest employer in Bottrop, but also the only large operation in the city. To have not big business, what was in comparison to other cities for a long time as a disadvantage is now an advantage: “We have focused at an early stage, many small and medium-sized companies with up to 600 employees. We have already seen what is to come, and were able to prepare ourselves,” says city spokesman Andreas Pläsken.
Negative examples for the so-called mono large structures, there was enough. As the end of the mechanical engineering group Babcock in nearby Oberhausen. After 150 years, it was about 15 years ago. Error of the group management, cost thousands of employees on the Job. For Oberhausen is a slap in the Kontor, which continues to resonate today. Or even the closure of the Opel plant in Bochum. “When a small business closes, it is not nice, but not as bad as when up to 20,000 jobs at once collapse,” says Professor Jörg Bogumil of the Ruhr-University of Bochum. He studied as a social scientist, the structures in the Ruhr region and other industrial regions.
Looking ahead: Bottrop is a model for structural change in the Ruhr area
For Bottrop the way of the small steps paid off with small companies. With around six percent unemployment, the city has one of the lowest rates in the Ruhr area. In Gelsenkirchen, for example, there are twice as many unemployed. In contrast to other cities in the Region Bottrop will not lose any inhabitants. On the contrary – the Numbers to rise even slightly.
To the positive developments in Bottrop, Germany, better understand, one must go back several years. 117 kilometres of the invisible tunnel network snaking beneath the earth’s surface. Since 1863, the mining industry has undermined the ground beneath the cities of Bottrop and the surrounding cities. For decades, fed the coal to the inhabitants, and Germany with heat and electricity supplies.
That someday will come the end, it was clear. Therefore, the plans were the beginning of the 1990s with the International building exhibition Emscher Park, IBA, is of crucial importance for Bottrop. “We went with the motto in the development: What shapes us in the future?” Andreas Pläsken says.
CO2-emissions by 50 percent reduce
Bottrop developed for the three pillars: recreation, climate, Know. As a leisure site with Movie Park, the alpincenter and similar Offerings every year, around two million visitors are attracted.
The decision for climate protection and the technologies of the future provided the town is also international in scope. “Innovation City” is the magic word. The objective of the innovation initiative is the Metropolitan areas of climate modify, and local businesses.
This also includes the CO2-emissions are to be reduced by 50 percent, and as a result, the quality of life be increased. The project should have model character for other municipalities in the Ruhr and the Emscher, but also internationally. “It is a month in which our mayor is not explained somewhere on a trip abroad or to foreign media our concept is hardly,” says Pläsken.
The transfer of knowledge and new ideas from the universities
Photovoltaic, heat pumps and electricity storage today is characterised by the development within the municipality. The energy transformation takes place directly on-site with the participation of the citizens. For example, there is a company in the field of welding technology, that only the energy of the sun works. Buildings are built in a climate-friendly and energy efficient or renovated.
The project is complemented by the knowledge transfer with the local University of applied Sciences. There, engineers and Economists to be trained. You should help in the development of the city. Bottrop companies cooperate with the FH.
The universities and universities of applied Sciences scientist Jörg Bogumil considers also social essential in the renewal process: “The universities are the drivers of urban development in the Ruhr area.” While young graduates from Hiking still. However, Bogumil sees a gradual reversal of the trend. “Improving.”
Professor Jörg Bogumil of the Ruhr-University of Bochum
Founder of support young professionals in the city
Possibilities, Klaus-Heiner Röhl from the employer near Institute of the German economy, IW. In an interview with the “Handelsblatt”, he said, that the Ruhr region could experience an economic Renaissance, if targeted, will reversed.
However, not only the development of the science region for the Bochum Professor Jörg Bogumil important: “We have in relation to the national average to little founder. This has an impact on the regional economic effects.” This means less start UPS, less new jobs.
It Bottrop. Apparently. The number of students is now 6000. Mostly Engineers. To keep in the city and to assist in start-UPS, is the goal.
For Bottrop the closure of the mine, therefore, is just right. This is not to say so of course. But the now liberated areas of the mining industry of the city in the Ruhr area a much-needed new “Playground bring”. “We had come in terms of commercial space, to our limits. Now we can create the project with the city of Essen and the RAG Montan Immobilen GmbH, a subsidiary of the mining company RAG, plenty of land,” says Plässken.
Approximately 1700 acres in the two cities. Commercial with residential development should occur. An eco-route, which will connect Bottrop and Essen. Eco-TRANSPORT, E-Bikes, and self-driving cars are the future for the planners in Bottrop. Problem parts of the city are to be developed as a residential district on the Rhine-Herne canal, life on the water. The future is music. However, the chances are not bad.