Freiburg removes barbed wire from La Poya barracks
Published: Thursday, Feb 22nd 2024, 17:30
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The canton of Fribourg has started to remove the barbed wire around the La Poya military barracks. The site in the city of Fribourg has been used to accommodate refugees since January 2023. One project envisages the construction of an ecological settlement.
The buildings are to be retained, but opened up to other users such as small businesses or associations, State Councillor Jean-François Steiert told the media in Fribourg on Thursday. In a second step, the canton will carry out a participatory process with the residents of the city to define a project for the site. Close to two railroad stations and the city center, the site has numerous advantages to accommodate both residential and work premises.
"A few years ago, the General Council of the City of Fribourg called for the site to become an eco-neighborhood," says Jean-François Steiert, who pointed out that the canton supports this idea. However, new buildings are only conceivable in ten years' time at the earliest, due to the necessary procedures and possible objections that could be lodged.
Asylum center to be relocated
La Poya is currently home to a federal asylum center and a residence managed by the canton. The federal center, which is managed by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), currently accommodates around 400 people. The total capacity is 500 places. It will be closed by the end of March and its residents will be distributed to other facilities in the canton and elsewhere.
For the time being, the Poya barracks will retain its cantonal accommodation, the capacity of which has been reduced to 150 places since it opened. It is currently occupied by 126 people, including 58 unaccompanied minors. The security measures there are less strict and the people housed there can come and go as they please, as they have all previously passed through a federal reception center.
©Keystone/SDA
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