A Curious Case

Where Did It Go? The Mystery of the Missing Market

This is what the scene looked like during the SPÖ’s on-site visit on a market day at Vogelfängerplatz in Neue Heimat: The area where vendors were supposed to be selling their goods was completely deserted.(Bild: zVg)

Normally, this place should be bustling with market activity every Saturday—at least according to official information from the city of Linz. But anyone who goes there looking for vendors and their stalls is in for a surprise. The SPÖ grew suspicious, went to check it out for themselves—and now wants to know what’s actually going on here.

While thousands of visitors are currently making their way through the Urfahr Autumn Market, enjoying rides, food, and vendor stalls, another market in Linz has apparently been a yawning void for several months now. Market day continues to be held regularly at Vogelfängerplatz in Neue Heimat—but apparently only online.

Not a single stall in months
According to the city’s website, the market there should be bustling every Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. In reality, however, not a single stall has reportedly been set up there for months. The Linz SPÖ stumbled upon this curious discrepancy. City Councilman Thomas Gegenhuber and Deputy Mayor Merima Zukan went to the site to see for themselves. Instead of bakers, butchers, vegetables, and eggs—which are still advertised on the city’s website—they found an empty space. Conversations with people from the neighborhood revealed that the market hasn’t even taken place for about a year.

Yet the fresh produce market continues to be advertised online.(Bild: Scr. linz.at)

Still a “popular local supplier”
Notably, the market is still listed on the city’s website as a “popular local supplier.” In contrast, for the markets in Dornach-Auhof and at Spallerhof—which have also been suspended—it is explicitly stated that they are not currently taking place.

Inquiry Unanswered
As early as September 15, the SPÖ therefore submitted an inquiry to the market representative, VP Deputy Mayor Martin Hajart. Among other things, the party wants to know when the market in Neue Heimat ceased to exist and why. The municipal council meeting last week could have shed some light on the matter. However, Hajart did not answer the inquiry there.

This leaves it still unclear when market stalls were actually set up for the last time at Vogelfängerplatz—and whether, or when, the neighborhood market is to be revived.