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The proponents of the riverside initiative want a continuous lakeside path – the opponents consider this to be forcing.
It is idyllic on the lake between Wädenswil and Richterswil. Here a gravel path leads directly along Lake Zurich. At the same time, the bank was renatured. These reed areas are shielded with fences to protect birds and aquatic animals, such as dogs.
Legend:
The bank was renatured along the lakeside path between Wädenswil and Richterswil. The areas are protected with a wooden fence.
SRF / Katrin Oller
“Even if a lot of people come here, it’s not a problem for nature – provided everyone knows what’s appropriate,” says Julia Gerber Rüegg. She lives in Wädenswil, was on the Zurich Cantonal Council for the SP and is the president of the committee for the bank initiative.
It is everyone’s right to enjoy the idyll right by the lake.
The initiative wants to enshrine in the cantonal constitution that all banks in the canton of Zurich are accessible to the population and at the same time an ecological improvement takes place. “It is everyone’s right to enjoy the idyll right on the lake,” says Julia Gerber Rüegg.
It is now possible to walk directly along the lake over almost 26 kilometers, i.e. almost half of the shore of Lake Zurich. For another 12.4 kilometers the path runs along the sidewalk of Seestrasse. According to documents from the Canton of Zurich, there are 12.6 kilometers of gaps.
Where there are gaps, there are primarily private houses right on the water. It is reasonable for villa owners to give up a piece of land for the lakeside path so that the population can walk along the lake, says Julia Gerber Rüegg. Ultimately, it is concession land – that is, land that the canton has given away, often with the condition that it must be returned for uses such as roads and paths.
Therefore, the landowners have no right to compensation, argue the advocates. They assume that the continuous lakeside path will not cost more than 100 million francs by 2050.
Legend:
Owners of houses directly on the lake should give up a piece of land for the lakeside path. For the opponents, expropriations go too far.
SRF / Katrin Oller
The Zurich government council thinks differently. He assumes costs of around 500 million francs – primarily because of the compensation for property owners. The regulations on concession land are very different and some of the contracts are 200 years old.
The interference with the property guarantee and the high costs are reasons why the government council and the majority of the cantonal council reject the bank initiative.
A continuous lakeside path is a constraint, says Domenik Ledergerber. He is president of the Zurich SVP, co-president of the No Committee and lives in Herrliberg. Jogging takes place here on the pavement of Seestrasse and there is only occasional access to the lake. The lake can usually be seen behind high walls of private property.
Expropriating property owners is disproportionate.
“Of course it would be nice to be able to walk directly by the lake,” says Ledergerber. “But expropriating property owners for this is disproportionate.” Rather, those places where there is already access to the sea need to be upgraded. The canton has enough resources for this, after all it already provides six million francs every year.
Legend:
In Herrliberg you can often only see the lake behind walls and wooden walls.
SRF / Katrin Oller
In addition, the opponents also argue with nature conservation. Because for a lakeside path, everything would first have to be destroyed before it could be rebuilt. Animals and plants on the privately owned banks are currently well protected. That would change if hordes of recreational tourists disturbed their lakeside retreats.
It is also clear that it is primarily the communities on the lake that benefit: “Why should someone from the Zurich Oberland or Unterland finance such an expensive lakeside path for the rich lakeside communities?” asks Domenik Ledergerber.