Kempten - This is not the first time that the subject of the weekly market and winter season has been the subject of discussions in the works committee.
Corona only fueled the topic again, especially since the next winter season is approaching and thus once again the need for a creative solution as in the previous cold season.
The weekly market usually moves to the market hall from November 15th, where the fruit and vegetable traders in particular find the necessary protection against the cold for their goods. This year, however, the summer season will be extended until the end of November and there is still disagreement among both the dealers and the responsible works committee as to whether the market should also be held in winter on the more atmospheric Hildegardplatz. According to a survey, half of the dealers would like to stay on Hildegardplatz, the other half prefer the market hall, as Martina Dufner, Head of Kempten Exhibition and Event Houses, reported to the committee. Dufner does not consider it expedient to divide the market into two locations. In their opinion, it would "reduce the attractiveness" and also lead to additional costs, among other thingswould be caused by winter road clearance and traffic measures - closure of the Salzstrasse, rental costs for the market hall, cleaning, etc. She also sees a division into two locations as critical because the construction site in the Zumsteinwiese area separates them spatially.
Dufner advised the committee to wait and see which corona rules will have to be observed this winter and then to decide on a uniform location for the season. If the current rules continue to apply, Dufner considers a market analogous to the one last winter to be conceivable, with stalls in and around the market hall as well as the analog road closures. In particular, Dufner estimates the necessary establishment of a left-turn lane in Salzstrasse to the weekly market, additional infrastructure and winter service at around 8,000 euros.
The committee agreed on the particular attractiveness of the Kempten weekly market on Hildegardplatz, which attracts people from far away. On the other hand, the “mood” with regard to new location variants for the winter season was mixed. Peter Wagenbrenner (CSU) pleaded for the additional costs to be passed on to the market traders. Hans-Peter Hartmann (FW) was also able to gain something from this. He recalled that for his proposal the market would be held outside all year round, "once almost being stoned for it". Corona has now moved it into the realm of the feasible.
But this time the problem comes from a completely different angle: There is a problem with the electrical systems that hold the power supply for operating the market stalls. Some of them can be sunk into the ground and freeze quickly in winter so that they can no longer be pulled out. As a solution, underfloor heating on the lid edges of the retractable power distributors was discussed, which not only found an open ear from 2nd Mayor Klaus Knoll (FW). His group colleague Joachim Saukel also pointed out that a weekly market all year round on Hildegardplatz would "extremely" contribute to the "revitalization of the northern city center".
As Gerti Epple (Die Grünen) found, the weekly market had “real charm during Corona last winter”.
"But putting 1000 euros a week on the dealers is a lot," she asked to look into cheaper options.
Meanwhile, Hilde John was mainly concerned about the fruit and vegetable traders who “have to throw away” their goods when they are exposed to frost - when it comes to the weekly market outside in winter, this is always a main counter-argument of the market traders concerned.
Knoll, who chaired the meeting on behalf of Mayor Thomas Kiechle, gave the committee representatives homework to discuss the issue in the parliamentary groups.
A decision should then be made in the November meeting of the Works Committee.
Also read: The history of the Kempten weekly markets
