Unused area becomes a cost trap Abandoned parking spaces - and yet people are charging here
The parking spaces at the former Coop in Windisch AG have been empty for months. But anyone who parks their car there now risks high additional costs.
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- There are new controls at the Coop site in Windisch: Unauthorized parking costs up to 80 francs.
- The background to this is a planned McDonald's branch whose permit has been blocked due to objections.
- The owner is now relying on a young Zurich company to curb illegal parking and littering.
The former Coop site at Hauserstrasse 43 in Windisch has been at a standstill for a year. However, the open space on the site has increasingly attracted drivers who - apparently in good faith - park there for free.
This is now a thing of the past: Anyone who parks their car in one of the no longer used parking spaces has been receiving mail from the parking control company SafePark since the fall. According to the "Aargauer Zeitung" newspaper, up to 80 francs in compensation will then be due - payable within 14 days.
The background: after Coop closed the location in November 2024, McDonald's came forward as a potential new tenant. However, objections from local residents against the planned McDrive - due to noise, traffic and proximity to the school grounds - have blocked the project to this day. The site remains unused, as do the parking spaces.
Measure triggers resentment
Because complaints about "wild parking" and littering have increased recently, the owner, SFP Retail AG, has taken action in consultation with the administration. "We wanted a practicable solution quickly," media spokeswoman Lena Wilczek told AZ. SafePark GmbH - entered in the commercial register in September - has been monitoring the site since September 29. The demand for compensation was deliberately enforced in a "moderate" manner rather than in a legally tough manner, it is said.
However, the measure is causing resentment: According to the report, those affected in local Facebook groups are annoyed about high demands and the lack of alternatives, as the nearby Chapf parking lot is closed due to construction work. "Instead of juicy burgers, there are juicy fines," writes one user. Another asks: "Where else are we supposed to park - illegally in the meadow?"
What is striking is that the amount of the penalty varies between 70 and 90 francs. According to Wilczek, the amounts were standardized at the beginning, but have now been reviewed and lowered in some cases. According to SafePark lawyer André Kuhn, the costs are the result of the so-called "circulations". These include photo documentation, owner queries, postal charges and administrative costs. "Nevertheless, this remains the cheapest option for offending drivers."
The decision to use a young company was obviously a conscious one: According to Wilczek, the manager Livit AG has had good experiences with SafePark. The peace and quiet in the neighborhood and the satisfaction of the tenants are paramount.
