The clearing of the stream

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The restoration of the Århus Å river has, if anything, helped to define Århus city centre over the last 10 years.
As early as May 1989, the City Council adopted a policy decision to reopen the river, and in 1995 work began on opening the stretch from Immervad to Skt Clemens Bridge, alongside the redevelopment of Lille Torv and Immervad. This project was completed in June 1996.
Since then, the section from Skt Clemens Bridge to Mindebrogade was opened in 1998, and in 2005 work began on the project for the section from Immervad to Vester Alle.

The current project is more extensive than one might initially realise. A prerequisite for reducing traffic along the river was to remove buses from the section of the river between Emil Wetts Passage and Frederiksgade. After some discussion, it was decided to solve this problem by routing the buses through the buildings north-west of Busgadehuset, so that the buses would take an almost straight line to the right from Busgadehuset, through several buildings, across the stream and into the courtyard behind Magasin. The bus route breakthrough was completed and opened in 2004.
It was then possible to plan a project to expose the stream along the stretch from Immervad to Vester Alle

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The project comprises a number of sub-works. The concrete box structure of the stream is to be demolished and replaced with fine white concrete, matching the rest of the stream’s course. Granite promenades are to be constructed on both sides, and the two banks are to be connected by no fewer than seven bridges, four of which will be reserved for pedestrians.
Among the associated projects are also the restoration of Mølleparken, the redevelopment of Telefontorvet, and a construction project where Busgaden meets Østergade.

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In connection with these projects, a number of works are also being carried out behind the façade. For example, a large retention basin is being constructed in Mølleparken to prevent sewage from flowing into the stream during heavy downpours.

The course of the stream from Mølleparken to Stenhuggergrunden
There is a desire to enhance the stream’s significance in the city centre by using its course to link the more central, public-facing parts of the city with the cultural facilities at Huset and on towards the future developments at the Godsbane site.
A master plan has therefore been drawn up, outlining the regeneration of Mølleparken, Vester Alle, the area around Huset, and the route along Museumsgade and Thorvaldsensgade. The plan culminates in the desire to create a small urban park on the current stonemason’s site opposite Ceres.
In connection with the opening of the stretch of the river between Immervad and Vester Alle, the first phase of the plan for Mølleparken has already been launched, whilst the majority of the proposed activities were sacrificed during the 2006 budget negotiations.
The intention is that the activities will be funded as and when funds become available, and it may therefore be some time before the plans are put into practice.