Vote for the preservation of the Kurpark building in Bad Kohlgrub - but the decision causes stomach pains

Created: 07/31/2022, 08:00

By: Manuela Schauer

Eats a lot of money: the Kurpark building in the heart of Bad Kohlgrub.

© Selina Schauer

Bad Kohlgrub does not have the money for a new building.

Also for a renovation in one fell swoop.

Therefore, the Kurpark building is to be improved in sections.

However, it was not easy for everyone to make a fundamental decision about the preservation.

Bad Kohlgrub – It is one of the major bones of contention in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: the future of the congress center at Richard-Strauss-Platz.

For many, many years, there have been advocates of new construction on the one hand and renovation on the other.

Bad Kohlgrub has a similar property, just a good number smaller.

The Kurpark building has various construction sites - in terms of use, energy and costs.

How to proceed with the property, so the municipal council sat down once again.

Actually in front of a pleasant background, which quickly fell behind.

The positive first: After Anton Pölt and Luciana Romito said goodbye to the Kurpark restaurant this year, a new tenant is ready.

The corresponding contract should be presented in the subsequent non-public part of the meeting.

Before that, however, a fundamental decision had to be made.

One that was accepted, but caused a headache for many local politicians and triggered an intensive debate.

Clear commitment required

Andreas Wojciak from Neue Liste - in 2014 she preferred variant 3a in the local development concept, which envisaged demolition - had suggested beforehand that a decision be made on how to proceed with the property before a contract was signed.

Because a long-term lease of the restaurant presupposes that the municipality is interested in the continued existence of the building.

"I have demanded that the municipal council show a clear edge and say: We stand by the Kurpark, come what may," Wojciak explained his concern.

If the committee didn't decide, "then you know what's going on".

In short: He demanded a clear commitment.

The building authority has determined the provisional costs for a complete renovation.

Mayor Franz Degele (Free Voters) announced that it would cost around seven million euros – Wojciak calculated with a higher amount – and added: if they were to be implemented.

"We can't afford that, that's clear," he emphasized.

“Only in sections.” Not a new building ten times.

But now to make a fundamental decision about the future of the formative but money-eating property – Simon Eickholt (Neue Liste) found it very difficult.

At the latest at the celebrations for 150 years of the Moorheilbad one would have seen the quality of the spa park and buildings, but when the resolution was drafted "I had to breathe heavily".

Preserving the property at any price is a nice goal.

The community just can't afford it.

Of course, you don't have to make a decision about a demolition now.

"But that it stays like this forever," said the local politician with a view to major upcoming investments, "I can't decide in good conscience".

Who knows what the municipal situation will be like in 10 to 15 years.

The people of Bad Kohlgruber would also like to own the glass ball, which is popular everywhere but does not exist.

Too little investment in the past

The building has graced the town center since the 1970s.

Not much has been invested to date.

"It will catch up with you at some point," Degele clarified when asked by the daily newspaper.

To make matters worse, it is underused.

But it swallows a lot of money.

"It must be clear to us," said Eickholt, "that a quarter of a million people are blown out of the window every year." Robert Elgas (Free Voters), on the other hand, feared that several necessary measures could "click" in one fell swoop.

And so there are expenses that may get the community into trouble.

Almost every local council spoke up in the debate, which underscored the importance of the building.

Suggestions for better use were made, future forecasts were made and the dangers of the decision were explained.

At some point it was enough for the mayor of the town hall.

"If we are against the proposal, then it will not be publicly shorter," he emphasized.

Then you would have to tell the tenant that he might have to leave the restaurant again after a year and a half.

Of course nobody wanted that.

Degele couldn't really understand the discussion anyway.

On the one hand, because you can also overturn a fundamental decision.

On the other hand, because the proposal for a resolution only contained that the municipality would tie down each year as part of the priority planning,

whether or which measures are to be implemented one after the other - and that in the budget deliberations.

Despite the concerns, the majority of local politicians agreed with this approach and took note of the estimated costs (9:5).