After several years of planning and one year of construction, the Regionalverband Ruhr (RVR) was able to open the AktivLinearPark in autumn 2022. This is a component of the Hoheward Landscape Park and stretches for around 1.5 kilometres between Hohewardstraße in Herten and Wanner Straße in Recklinghausen. The overall design and implementation were carried out by the RVR in collaboration with the planning office Landschaftsarchitekten Freese. The versatile park was implemented by the landscaping and horticultural company Scheidtmann from Marl.

The new park completes the ring promenade around Halde Hoheward and creates its missing southern entrance, making the site accessible from every direction. Built along former railway lines, a fully accessible pedestrian and cycling path connects to new recreational facilities set within industrial nature areas. Sports enthusiasts will find modern fitness stations, including a dedicated calisthenics park with equipment for strength training and balance work, plus a pump track—a wave-shaped circuit for mountain bikers, scooter riders, skateboarders, and BMX enthusiasts of all skill levels. The former ore-handling facility has been reimagined as an adventure playground for older children. Those drawn to nature will discover specially curated plantings and dry biotope habitats throughout the park. Educational signage tracing the area's mining heritage and the striking Zodiac Square create engaging destinations for visitors of all ages. Michael Labuda, project manager at Scheidtmann, describes the latter: "The Zodiac Observatory sits at the heart of this square, echoing the Horizon Observatory on adjacent Halde Hoheward. Its circular form features twelve concrete seating blocks arranged around a central zodiac design, functioning as both focal point and themed learning station for children and young people." One key learning area is the Tree Field, showcasing native and climate-resilient species. Eastward lies the History Field, where play structures and a reconstructed mini-slag heap reference the former conveyor systems that once defined the site. Long stretches of distinctive orange clinker paving evoke the trains that once ran here—the color itself a nod to the warning hues of the final locomotives. An orange ribbon (AktivBand) winds throughout the park, weaving its separate zones together while varied pathways invite visitors to rediscover the landscape in different ways. The completed landscape includes 60 trees, 405 hedges, 145 shrubs, 4,210 ground covers, and 8,550 m² of meadow areas.

www.scheidtmann.green

Photography:

RVR

(Published in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 04|23)