That's how it stands for the expansion of the Bohemian Pond

Spring is slowly awakening and with it the Bohemian Pond: When the sun is shining, strollers cavort there.

But for years now, every visit has been accompanied by a question: How long will the recreation area be there?

The daily newspaper asked.

Puchheim / Gröbenzell

- Almost eight years have now passed since the Gröbenzeller Johann Böhmer sold the area with the Böhmerweiher.

The cities of Munich and Puchheim, the community of Gröbenzell and the recreation area association (see box) became owners of the 27 hectare area in spring 2013.

The site is to be partly developed into a recreational area, partly as a biotope.

But all of this is a long time coming.

When will something happen here?

Gröbenzell's treasurer Gregor Kamp had revealed in the spring of last year: Five years plus will pass before the expansion is completed.

The recreation area association has been commissioned with the expansion.

Its managing director Jens Besenthal presented plans to the city and local councils in Puchheim and Gröbenzell in 2015.

What is planned for the area?

These met with strong rejection from the Groebenzell municipal councils.

The Greens in particular horrified the fact that there were to be 40 parking spaces, a kiosk, toilets, water watch, beach volleyball and barbecue areas on almost 33,000 square meters.

Walter Voit said: “The Böhmerweiher is obviously a small ecological treasure trove.” A study from 2010 also showed this.

83 species worthy of protection were counted.

The Greens therefore want the pond to be preserved as a quiet recreational area without additional parking spaces and the expansion into a swimming lake, if at all, to a minimal extent.

Why is everything so complicated?

The problem is: There are a lot of people involved in this matter.

And it is unlikely that the site will actually be expanded without the consent of all four owners.

Because if only one party should veto, it will not be done that way: At least that is what Gröbenzell's mayor Martin Schäfer (UWG) assures.

What is the current status now?

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There was great excitement about these signs in 2019.

© Weber

Revised plans should now be available.

However, these have not yet been presented to Gröbenzell and Puchheim.

Gröbenzell's Mayor Schäfer assumes that this will happen in the course of the year.

The recreation area association could not be reached for a statement for the daily newspaper.

What about the leash obligation?

The Bohemian Pond is also extremely popular with dog owners, as the animals were allowed to roam freely here for a long time.

So in the summer of 2019 the excitement was great when this was changed.

To the delight of many joggers and walkers and to the horror of numerous dog owners, the city of Munich had put up signs that indicated that dogs were required to be kept on a leash.

According to a press officer, the signs are still there.

But they have not been seen for a long time.

Although Gröbenzell and Puchheim are each one sixth co-owner of the area, they were not allowed to have a say in this case.

At that time, both were informed at short notice about the placement of the signs.

The citizens' assembly in the district of Aubing, Lochhausen Langwied had recommended the leash obligation and the lower nature conservation authority declared this to be sensible and necessary from a nature conservation point of view.

Is there already something very specific?

A little more comfort for strollers has recently been available: two resting benches, especially older people or people with limited mobility can now use these to take a break and take a breather.

But of course everyone else as well, as communicated by the community.

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Very freshly set up: the benches were donated by the city of Munich - the idea came from Gröbenzell.

© Weber

The idea came from the Gröbenzeller SPD: The benches are provided free of charge by the state capital of Munich.

The Gröbenzeller and the Puchheim depot each took care of setting up a bank.

What do the visitors to the pond say?

There is no current representative survey of what visitors to the Bohemian Pond actually want.

However, a Tagblatt report in the summer of last year showed a very clear picture: Everything should preferably stay as it is, they said at the time.

At least the bathers questioned appreciated the originality of the place.

This opinion is also evident again and again in the social network Facebook.

The Union

The recreation area association is one of the owners of the pond.

It was founded in 1965 and is intended to guarantee supra-local recreational areas in the districts around Munich.

As far as press inquiries are concerned, however, he is apparently more of a silent partner.

The daily newspaper has repeatedly unsuccessfully asked for a statement.

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