BBQ Bans in Basel; Bomb Squad Evacuates Bankverein; Basel Cultural Partnership Under Threat; Tram Lines Set to Expand

News on 14 July 2015

One of the sad side-effects of the recent heatwave and lack of rain is that both Basel-Stadt and Basel-Land have enacted open-fire bans. In general, the bans forbid the type of fires and bbqs that local residents enjoy throughout the warm months in the region. However, the ban also requires those that smoke outdoors to carefully extinguish and properly dispose of their cigarette butts in designated rubbish bins. For those diehards that cannot live without a wienerli roasted under the open skies, according to the Basel-Land Forest Office, while all open fires are now prohibited outdoors, the use of Gas Grills is allowed in a few designated areas. Martin Schütz, police spokesman for Basel-Stadt said that patrolling officers are on the lookout for those that break the fire-ban and warned that a maximum penalty of 10,000 francs can be assessed for those that ignore the ban.

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The streets between Barfusserplatz and Bankverein were closed off by the police yesterday between 11am and 1pm. Apparently, a bomb threat was received by one of the enterprises in the neighborhood at approximately 10:30 in the morning according to the Prosecutor's office which is now investigating the case. Police evacuated approximately 70 people from neighboring buildings and conducted a search which fortunately yielded no dangerous or explosive devices. By 1:15 the police reopened the streets which had also affected tram traffic, allowing them to resume their normal operations.

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Many of Basel's most recognizable cultural and educational institutions rely on the public support and subsidies from both Basel-Stadt and Basel-Land. However, Basel-Land's recent economic and budget difficulties have forced the canton to cut back on their commitments to such contributions. The Basel-Stadt Grand Council has reacted by proposing regulations which would require a staggered pricing scheme for entry and use at cultural and leisure institutions such as the Theater Basel, the Symphony Orchestra Basel, Public Swimming Pools, Ice Rinks and museums. Local residents of Basel-Stadt would pay one price, and those from Basel-Land, a different, higher one. The issue will be debated and evaluated until sometime this fall, when barring a change in circumstances it is likely that a majority of the Council would vote for the new pricing scheme.

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In accordance with the 10 year, 350 million Franc "Tram Power 2020" program which the Basel Cantonal Parliament enacted in 2012, the Construction and Transport Department of Basel-Stadt announced new preliminary studies for tram route extensions on Friday. By starting the selected projects before the end of 2016, Basel-Stadt will also be eligible federal subsidies of up to 50% of the costs. At the moment, the proposal calls for an expansion of the existing tram network by 19 kilometers. Specific priorities of the plan are to provide tram service on Grenzacherstrasse and Schwarzwaldstrasse, and, in the Klybeck Kleinhuningen and Claragraben neighborhoods. In addition, the concept of replacing the heavily used #30 bus line as it crosses the Johanniter Bridge with a tram is also a high priority.