Citizen participation

What does citizen participation mean?

The need for citizens to participate in important city decisions and projects has grown steadily over the years. The City of Innsbruck is therefore very keen to enable this participation and co-determination. After all, a vibrant democracy also includes creating concrete opportunities for participation outside of elections - in the sense of participatory democracy.

It is therefore the task of Service Unit Citizen participation and participatory urban design to involve the population in important future issues and urban development projects and to create spaces for dialogue and exchange. After all, a vibrant city is largely characterised by people who can get involved and help shape it. This also includes listening to different opinions and views and weighing up interests together. Viable and accepted solutions can only be developed through cooperation.

Citizen participation has many different facets. Service Unit Citizen participation and participatory urban design has summarised these facets in an integrative model:

Here you will find a presentation on the concept of Innsbruck's citizen participation programme:

What are the tasks of citizen participation?

Digital participation - Innsbruck participation platform

For some people, participation in local participation formats can be difficult or impossible for various reasons. By offering digital citizen participation, more people are given the opportunity to actively think and help shape Innsbruck.

With the platform mitgestalten.innsbruck.gv.at, the City of Innsbruck offers citizens a modern opportunity to get involved in various projects online or to submit their own ideas that make a positive contribution to city life.

Constructive ideas can be submitted as a proposal with a description on the platform at any time. If the proposal receives enough votes, it will be discussed further by the city council.

More information on current and past participation projects can also be found there. We offer your opinion a platform - take a look!

Celebrating in public spaces

Partying in public spaces is an integral part of public life in many cultures and ranges from small gatherings in the park to large, spontaneous street parties or planned events such as festivals and city festivals.

The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly changed the going-out behaviour of Innsbruck residents - especially young adults. The population has reclaimed public, urban space during this time. In concrete terms, this has had many positive effects on the common good, but also poses some challenges for residents and the city administration.

Since 2021, Service Unit Citizen participation and participatory urban design - Celebration in public space has acted as an interface between politics, administration and party organisers. The focus is on the continuous exchange between organisers, authorities and politicians, as well as the joint development of solutions for all parties involved. Furthermore, it is constantly looking for areas in the Innsbruck area for parties and celebrations, as well as spontaneous gatherings.

Participatory urban design

We are all city makers and can and should help shape the environment in which we live. Service Unit Citizen participation and participatory urban design supports projects that make public spaces more attractive. For example, several walls in Innsbruck have already been embellished during street art workshops with artists and interested parties.

Petitions

A petition is a democratic instrument with which citizens can actively participate in municipal politics. All residents of the municipality have the right to submit their concerns, complaints and suggestions for improvement to the Municipal council as petitions. These must be submitted in writing and signed by the petitioner to the municipal council.

Service Unit Citizen participation and participatory urban design provides advice on general questions about petitions. All information on petitions can be found here:

cool-INN & COOLYMP: Cool urban living spaces

Info on these two projects can be found under Climate Projects.

"Tree slices" - Flowering islands

In spring 2021, the city launched a participatory campaign offering citizens the opportunity to design their own green island in Innsbruck. Under the motto "Gardening on your doorstep", residents are allowed to plant small areas and spots around trees - so-called tree slices - in public spaces according to their own ideas. Anyone who wants to contribute to the beautification of the city can participate. The only condition: Time for regular care and the willingness to take over the design of the colorful island.

More information and the folder are available in all city district meetings, as well as at the Service Unit City Garden Administration .

Move-in assistance XL - sustainable living

The city of Innsbruck has been welcoming future tenants to a city apartment in Innsbruck since 2020. So that they are prepared for the move and feel at home in their new apartment right away, Service Unit Citizen participation and participatory urban design supports them with the "Move-in Guide XL". In workshops, the new residents receive practical and simple tips on sustainable living and good neighborliness.

In 2020, the Move-in Guide XL won the ÖGUT Environmental Award in the "Sustainable Community" category. More information can be found in the Service Unit Citizen participation and participatory urban design

Feed-INN - optimizing urban food cycles

Since March 2021, the project "Feed'INN", which was launched by the Austrian Institute for Sustainable Development (ÖIN) together with the City of Innsbruck and the Institute of Geography at the University of Innsbruck, has been dedicated to the role of food in times of global change. This pursues two goals: on the one hand, the better networking of actors who play a role in the food cycle. On the other hand, exemplary projects of sustainable food planning in cooperation with the Markthalle Innsbruck and the Weltacker (feldschafft) in Reichenau are promoted. Behind the project is the conviction that a sustainable food system can only emerge from cooperation.

For more information, contact the Austrian Institute for Sustainable Development or feld:schafft - Genossenschaft zur Nutzung von Ungenutztem.

Nature playground - "Join in" afternoons at the Campagne

The residents of Campagne Reichenau, who will move in in the spring of 2022, can actively contribute to the green space design of their own living environment. Already in January, the Office for Citizen Participation and the Office for Green Spaces, together with the tenants, built models of a "dream" nature play meadow. Now this is in monthly taking place "Mach-mit" afternoons also step by step put on. you can find more information in the Service Unit Green spaces - planning and construction

Youth task force - projects in the context of youth participation

In June 2021, the "Youth Taskforce" was set up via Service Unit Citizen participation and participatory urban design .. The aim is to place a stronger focus on youth issues within the citymagistrate and to provide targeted support for projects for and by young people in Innsbruck. Among other things, this resulted in the coordination of the topic "Celebrations in public spaces".

Specifically, citizen participation acts as an interface between politics, administration and party organizers. It is also constantly looking for areas in the Innsbruck area for parties and celebrations, as well as spontaneous gatherings.

In 2022, two street art projects involving young artists were also implemented in the Innbrücke cycle underpass and on Adolf Pichler Platz.

You can find more information in the Service Unit Citizen participation and participatory urban design