Ceremonial handover of the new village square in Vellern

A place for encounters, exercise and community

The newly designed village square in Vellern was officially opened. Even though the final greening will not take place until autumn, the square already presents itself as the lively centre of the village - open, inviting and full of possibilities.

12. September 2025 by Sandra Berges
  • The new Vellern village square was ceremoniously opened in the sunshine.

The village community celebrated this special moment together with numerous participants. A versatile meeting place has been created between the sports field and school playground, offering all generations space for exercise, play, green learning and social events. "Today is a special day for Vellern - a day that shows what is possible when many people contribute their ideas, their time and their commitment," explained Mayor Michael Gerdhenrich.

The area of over 3,000 square metres borders directly on the schoolyard of the primary school and creates a harmonious transition to the new village square with the "Vellern" lettering. There, a swamp oak will soon serve as the central village tree with benches, inviting people to linger and meet - a tree that will grow into a green centrepiece over the years.

Playing field

One highlight is the new asphalted multifunctional pitch with football goals and basketball hoops, which has been created on part of the former cinder pitch. The surrounding paving provides children with a safe practice track for bicycles and other vehicles. The area to the west of the sports field has been preserved as a large grassed area for the shooting tent, but also for petanque - tradition and modernity go hand in hand here.

In future, shrubs and flowering perennials will create a natural ambience. Bicycle parking facilities and atmospheric lighting will improve the quality of the space and make it an attractive meeting place in the evening. Sustainable drainage has also been considered: an underground infiltration system channels the rainwater into the Stichelbach stream in a controlled manner.

Bank

The redesign of the village square is a central project of the "Village Development Concept (DIEK)", which was adopted by the council in 2018. The residents of Vellern were able to actively contribute their ideas and wishes at a workshop in November 2023 and put their heart and soul into the planning process.

The total investment of 515,000 euros (construction costs and engineering services) was supported by a generous grant of 250,000 euros from the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

With the new village square, a strong signal for the future viability and quality of life in the Vellern neighbourhood was jointly set.

Facts and figures:

  • Total costs: 515,000 euros (of which 250,000 euros maximum funding from the federal and state governments): Funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and by funds from the joint task "Improvement of the agricultural structure and coastal protection"
  • Start of construction and completion:
    • Start of construction in March 2025
    • Official ground-breaking ceremony on 1 April 2025
    • The Vellern shooting festival in June was able to take place as planned despite the construction work.
    • Planting work (village tree, other shrubs and perennials) in autumn
  • Total area of the village square: 3,125 square metres
  • The measure is part of the "Village Development Concept" (DIEK), which was adopted by the council in 2018.
  • The people of Vellern were very actively and creatively involved in the redesign as part of an ideas workshop (November 2023) and an information evening in the village forum (April 2024).