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Cologne Playground Renaming Plan Deferred to Council Vote After Mayor’s Objection

Mayor Henriette Reker’s intervention sends the administrative proposal to replace 700 “Spielplatz” signs with “Spiel- und Aktionsflächen” before the Stadtrat on September 4, fueling debate over name changes versus maintenance needs.

Spielplätze werden umbenannt
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Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz a, Mittwoch bei der Initiative „Chef:innensache”

Overview

  • Cologne plans to phase in 700 “Spiel- und Aktionsflächen” signs starting autumn 2025 to promote inclusive, multifunctional play areas.
  • Reker argued that keeping the word “Spielen” is essential for the Ordnungsamt’s authority over noise enforcement and insisted the council must decide on the renaming.
  • Opposition voices, led by SPD’s Jochen Ott, have questioned whether symbolic signage changes should take priority over repairing and maintaining aging playground equipment.
  • The sign redesign emerged from a year-long participatory process in summer 2024 involving children, youth and families and features abstract figures to avoid implying specific ages, backgrounds or disabilities.
  • Under the 2025–2030 Spielraumplanung, the city aims to build or modernize 120 expanded play and activity spaces by 2030, contingent on Stadtrat approval.