Two new groups and a large gym

With the official groundbreaking on Friday, the extension of the St. Florian children's home for two crèche groups started.

Representatives of the Catholic sponsor, the community, the architecture office, the construction company, the children's home and the parents' council symbolically picked up the spade.

Of course, the crèche children were also there and framed the ceremony with happy songs.

BY THOMAS OBERMEIER

Fraunberg - "Today it even says in the newspaper: We are one of the youngest communities in the district with 560 children under the age of twelve," said Mayor Hans Wiesmaier. An African saying goes: "To raise a child, you need a whole village." Father and mother are still the primary responsibility, says Wiesmaier, but children also need solid bases - like the children's house, where the little ones can be safe should feel like family. “Today is not the end of the development,” promised the mayor of the children's home manager Anita Steinbichler.

The work on the two-story, energetic extension planned by architect Stefan Hajek from Gars am Inn will be carried out by the two Fraunhofer companies Hörhammer GmbH (excavation) and the construction company Käsmaier GmbH (master builder).

Wood pellets are used for heating; the L-shaped building offers an additional usable area of ​​650 square meters.

The order for the electrics went to the Geissler and Tannhof company from Ottobrunn.

The company Brand und Kallenbach from Waldkraiburg is responsible for ventilation and sanitation.

Only the carpentry is still missing.

The cost of the construction project is estimated at around 2.85 million euros.

The government of Upper Bavaria has promised the community a grant of 1.6 million euros.

At the beginning of the kindergarten year 2022/23 the new premises are to be occupied.

An operating permit for 211 children will then be available for the entire house, currently there are 180. There will then be seven kindergarten and four crèche groups.

As part of the construction work, the existing canteen will also be enlarged.

The course for the north-west extension had already been worked out in the spring of 2018 in a retreat together with the teachers, said Wiesmaier.

The extension will be fully built with a cellar, and in the south, in addition to the staircase, access to the cellar from outside will be created.

The kindergarten children can look forward to a large gymnasium, and in the future there will be opportunities for families on the upper floor. Head Steinbichler particularly emphasized and was delighted that the installation of an elevator means that the entire children's home will be barrier-free for the first time. "Schee, that it finally starts," she said. "The children can hardly wait and are happy when the excavator and crane arrive."

After the construction of the kindergarten in 1980 and the extensions in 1985, 1992, 2001 and 2010, the house is now bursting at the seams. For the current emergency solution, containers were temporarily set up for gymnastics. The gym in the basement has been converted into a group room. Steinbichler was happy to say that now the best possible offer can be made for the children again. In the end, Wiesmaier asked the neighbors for their understanding of the construction project. "We have already written to you."