The Swiss People’s Party (SVP) in the city of Zurich has submitted a motion to tear up Sechseläutenplatz and convert the area back into a green park and public meadow. Supporters have cited the heat generated by the stone park as one of the main drivers behind the proposal.

SVP demands complete overhaul of Sechseläuten square

On Wednesday, SVP municipal councillors Stephan Iten and Bruno Wohler demanded that Zurich's largest square - a popular meeting place near the lake and host of the Sechseläuten festival and Circus Knie - be completely overhauled. Redesigned in 2012 and 2014, the 16.000-metre area is currently paved with 110.000 quartzite blocks mined from Vals in the Swiss mountains.

According to 20 minuten, supporters argued that the paved square produces an unnecessary amount of heat during the summer. Considering the three separate heatwaves the city has baked in this summer, Iten and Wohler have called for the paving to be removed so it can be converted into a meadow and grass park with trees and shade.

Supporters hope to convert square back to a meadow and park

The text of the proposal noted that the council (Gemeinde) is already planning new measures to uncover or “unseal” city squares to reduce the heat, something they hope to extend to Sechseläutenplatz. The quartz slabs would either be sold or reused in another project.

In all, the two councillors said the square should be redesigned so that it can be “used without restriction by the population, the Sechseläuten and circuses.” The plan has now been submitted to the city council for debate.