Görlitz held on 6 November City lighting walks organised, during which residents walked through the Old Town after dark and assessed the street lighting. The city aims to systematically gather subjective impressions of atmosphere, orientation and safety and incorporate them into its ongoing lighting plans.
According to the city, around 20 people took part in an initial walk. It started at Postplatz, with further stops at Marienplatz, Klosterplatz and Fischmarkt. Participants described marked differences between places where lighting enhances the architecture and helps people find their way, and areas perceived as too dark and unsettling. They also highlighted successful features – such as the large, historic-looking lanterns at Fischmarkt – and called for better lighting in certain squares, particularly to improve older people’s sense of safety.
The walk was led by urban development officer Friedemann Dreßler on Department of Urban Development. He explained that the completed questionnaires would be analysed and the findings fed transparently into further planning. The city administration gave no specific timetable for structural changes during the walk. The feedback is intended to inform, among other things, plans for lighting squares and the project The Trail of the Stars – a planned winter light trail linking the Old Town and the town centre.
The public engagement format combines guided evening walks with standardised questions about brightness, light colour, glare and orientation. The technical aspects, such as light intensity, energy consumption and light colour, are considered separately from factors relating to perception. Other considerations include heritage conservation, the effect on historic façades, light pollution and the impact on nocturnal ecosystems.
The city says the next steps will involve its public engagement programme and further public events. The initiative forms part of efforts to modernise the lighting. Funding projects to switch to LED lights and renew existing infrastructure have already been announced, and the municipal utilities are responsible for operating and maintaining the street lighting until 2039. The immediate focus is analysing the feedback gathered during the walk; the city council will decide whether to implement individual measures.
Statements attributed to participants reflect personal impressions; a definitive expert assessment has yet to be made. The city administration says it will publish the findings and any potential priorities once the analysis is complete.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).