Kempten - The annual meeting of the friends of the Stiftsstadt was about the hot iron savings bank district, police building and traffic density at the weekly market.
After the "long dry spell", Ilse Roßmanith-Mitterer, chairwoman of the Stiftsstadtfreunde eV, was visibly relieved to hold an annual general meeting in attendance and to be able to carry out the overdue election of the board.
The election took the shortest possible time - all board members were confirmed: Ilse Roßmanith-Mitterer (chairwoman), her deputy Silvia Bohlinger, Iris Rudolph-Sencar (treasurer), Heinz Domonell (secretary) and Manfred Sauer (assessor).
For the long-standing and still chairwoman, there was not only a big thank you from club member Dieter Schade, but also kudos from deputy Silvia Bohlinger, who attested: "She rocks the shed."
Urgently wanted offspring
However, concerns about young talent also plague the association, which has around 150 members - especially when it comes to the composition of the board.
Now that many young families and new residents have moved to the quarter, the board is hoping for interested young people from the club who would like to help shape their residential area.
"We need this representation of the interests of the Stiftsstadtfreunde", which is "a very important guideline" for administration and politics, said Mayor Thomas Kiechle with his respect.
Despite a herniated disc, he insisted on accepting the invitation to the hall of the Margaretha- and Josefinen-Stift.
The top topics of the evening were the redesign of the “Sparkassenquartier”, the plans for a new police building on the Pfeilergraben - in their opinion this location was “buried” for this, according to Roßmanith-Mitterer - and the traffic on Hildegardplatz during weekly market times.
Future savings bank district
Before collegiate city friend Dieter Schade presented his thoughts on the future of the savings bank district, it was important to him to start with "three positive things" in the area of the association: that the city cable car "has been canceled"; that the police should not be erected behind the health department at the pillar ditch; that the new city library should not be built on the Zumsteinwiese in the spirit of the Stiftsstadtfreunde and that the project will be planned with public participation, "which I have not yet seen on this scale".
On the other hand, the future of the Sparkasse quarter has made him “restless for four years”, mainly because there are no correct statements on the part of the Sparkasse and thus the investor.
Schade was worried, among other things, because of the architects' competition, which was "not an urban planning one".
He worries that the listed area will also retain its status and, above all, that "we will get a finished plan" like we did with the Sparkasse building.
If the citizens were to be involved in the planning, they could then identify with the building, he addressed the Sparkasse board member Manfred Hegedüs and insisted on finding out what was planned.
Because only luxury apartments or high-priced offers are out of the question for Schade.
With "responsibility"
Mayor Kiechle, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sparkasse Allgäu, confirmed the "important hinge function" between the old town and the collegiate town at this overall "historically sensitive point" where "downtown retail is conceivable" as well as offices and practices, he remained vague. Before that is fixed, however, it makes no sense to go public, he stressed, to be “glad” “that the Sparkasse is making this investment” and not leave the project to an investor. The Sparkasse “sees its responsibility”, he was convinced.
In any case, it is not the case “that we do not provide information,” said Hegedüs, but that there has been nothing to report for a long time.
One had to wait until the future location for the city library had been decided.
His vision: a mixture of trade, services, living and ensemble protection.
In any case, something should emerge “that makes us happy” and “no maximum return”, Hegedüs also remained indifferent.
Competition planned
CIMA was commissioned by the city as a consultant for the project.
Now one wants to first see with the sponsors where the journey should go and then go into the competition, which, by the way, should run in a "similar process" as in an urban development.
Construction consultant Tim Koemstedt also emphasized: “The small parts on Promenadestrasse must be preserved.” According to the mayor, the public should be involved “as soon as the structures are in place”.
The goal is not the maximum, but at least an “acceptable return”.
Space required by the police
As far as the issue of the new police force is concerned, everything has actually been said, according to the mayor.
“Time is of the essence” because of the lack of space and the poor fabric of the building currently in use.
With his offer to go to the site of the former Ari barracks, he was said to have “followed an old request of the police” that they had brought to him a few years ago.
However, it is a property owned by the federal government;
the police are a matter for the Bavarian state.
Currently, "it is up to the Minister of the Interior," said Kiechle.
The fact that he also excluded Rottachstrasse as a future location reassured Roßmanith-Mitterer, who was concerned with maintaining the parking spaces.
“Not everyone can come by bike”, be it due to a disability or other restrictions.
“Yes,” agreed the mayor, “but not every city council has understood that”.
Also, not everyone comes by bus.
But the topic of traffic should primarily concern Hildegardplatz that evening.
Traffic around the weekly market
There was consensus that the traffic chaos on weekly market days at Residenzplatz and especially at Hildegardplatz could not stay that way.
Suggestions for "rectification" ranged from closing the street between Galeria and Sinz bakery, with or without bus traffic or as a one-way solution ... The impression that the chaos there was a "holy cow" largely ignored by the regulatory office was also loud.
Schade recalled that the friends of the old town had fought a similar problem in Kronenstrasse for 20 years until a solution had finally been found, and called on Kiechle: "Take action now!"
According to Silvia Bohlinger, nobody could have imagined that Bahnhofstrasse would one day be closed to traffic.
Cycling across Hildegardplatz on market days "is too dangerous for me," she emphasized Schade's demand.
Kiechle described the weekly market as “our most important facility in the city” and it must continue to be accessible by car.
"I am deeply convinced of that."
