40 years ago - after a number of discussions, planning and resistance - the community center was built in Eching.
Today it is an indispensable part of the community.
Eching
- Already at the beginning of the 1970s, the population increasingly wanted a larger community-owned event hall.
But then the protracted "birth pangs" dragged on for almost a whole decade, until after years of discussion and planning - and quite a bit of resistance - the Echinger community center was opened on October 23rd and 24th, 1981.
Originally only intended as a working title, this term had become firmly established.
The impetus came from the mayor at the time, Joachim Enßlin.
The hereditary building plot was contributed by the Catholic parish of Sankt Andreas and the architecturally and functionally successful design came from the architect Hans Peter Wopperer.
By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.
With all the new ideas and concepts for the first house on the square, its completion was delayed.
Unfortunately, not only did construction prices rise during this period, but also the groundwater.
As a result, the estimated construction costs more than doubled from 4.1 million to 8.5 million marks.
As the first community center manager, Wolfgang Buttmann, previously managing director of the district adult education centers, did successful pioneering work from July 1981, in which he launched a cultural program for the community of Eching for the first time and developed an appealing and sophisticated profile for the new community center.
In particular, the “Under the Parachute” format, which was used by many up-and-coming cabaret artists as a springboard, left a lasting impression.
Big redevelopment
In 2011, the community center could have celebrated its 30th birthday, but instead of a lavish party, the building, including the catering, was taken offline - and turned into a major construction site for more than two years: What initially looked like a minor construction measure to remedy fire protection deficiencies developed Step by step to a comprehensive, necessary general renovation under the direction of the local architecture office Wehkamp with investment costs of over four million euros. While the community center restaurant had to wait for almost nine years for its reopening from August 2011 to May 2020 and was bravely and hopefully "reanimated" under new management under the name "Pure Cuisine" at the beginning of the pandemic after this long "shutdown",the community center presented itself to the public in September 2013 with improved acoustics and a guest capacity of up to 600 visitors.
All under one roof
The event and operating concept of the distinctive solitary building is based on three pillars: The first pillar includes cultural events of all kinds - from cellar to children's theater, at which many well-known personalities from the theater, cabaret and music scene have made guest appearances in Eching, including, for example the actors Johannes Heesters, Jürgen Prochnow, Conny Froboes and only recently Miroslav Nemec or greats of the cabaret like Django Asül, Dieter Hildebrand, Bruno Jonas, Eckard von Hirschhausen or Monika Gruber.
The second focus consists in leasing to companies and associations for the implementation of seminars, training courses, sales and advertising events, which contribute to the financial maintenance of the house.
Thirdly, the community center is supported in a very fundamental way by the citizens - and is available to local art and cultural institutions as well as local associations and traders for their various uses.
(Mardi Gras) balls, concerts, bazaars, receptions, exhibitions, theater performances and Christmas parties take place under the roof of the community center - all an expression of the diversity of a lively community life and the local cultural scene.
The community center lines
You have managed the community center so far: Wolfgang Buttmann (1981-1995), Daniela Benker (1995-2005), Dr.
Michael Corsten (2005-2011) and Ulla Grabow (from 2012).
Ulrike Wilms
