Steingaden needs enormous efforts for important large-scale projects

In Steingaden, many important projects - including the connection of the sewage pipes to the Lechbruck sewage treatment plant or the renovation of the secondary school gym - are nearing completion, but still require a great deal of effort.

Mayor Max Bertl is confident and full of energy.

Steingaden

- "Challenging" and "loveable": With these words, Steingaden's Mayor Max Bertl (CSU) characterizes his home community.

Since the local elections three years ago, the native of Wildsteiger has been at the head of official business in Steingaden.

Standing up for this election at the time was “the best decision of my life”, as Bertl enthuses in retrospect.

Tackling the many tasks that lie ahead of him in the new year 2023, together with the municipal council, is a matter close to his heart: "I'm happy and full of energy."

Urspring is already connected, now the main town will follow

There is a lot to do: A big issue is the connection of the 3000-strong community with its 53 districts to the sewage treatment plant in Lechbruck and the associated accession to the Lechbruck-Bernbeuren sewage association.

A project that is nearing completion.

The pumping station in Urspring is already connected to the grid, now it's the turn of the main town.

“The only thing missing now is the equipment,” informs the Steingaden town hall chief.

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Max Bertl is Steingaden's mayor.

© Sala

The community has been sending wastewater from Urspring to its neighbors in the west since October 2022.

It flows through a pipe under the Lech into the sewage treatment plant in Lechbruck, which treats and cleans it and releases it into the Lech.

From May, the entire Steingaden wastewater will be treated there.

Another large construction site, which will soon no longer exist, is not far from the town hall complex, more precisely on Marie-Eberth-Straße: Work has been underway there since spring 2020 to comprehensively refurbish the gymnasium of the middle school.

The gym should be usable again for the new school year

Actually, the 900 square meter hall together with the outbuildings should only have been energetically renovated.

However, the pollutant finding that came to light in the course of the work has once again significantly increased the dimensions of the project.

Since then the hall has not been usable.

At the beginning of the new school year, the head of town hall hopes that the gates will open again: "I'm assuming it's very difficult," says Bertl.

On the other hand, the long-running issue of “refurbishing the Fohlenhof” will keep the community busy for a long time, and no major leaps are expected in 2023.

The project, which will cost at least ten million euros, will certainly accompany his entire term of office, says Bertl.

In order not to burden the municipal council with the extensive planning - the preparation of the north wing alone is planned for many years - separate working groups were set up, which meet regularly.

Bertl's predecessor, Xaver Wörle, had already started to renovate the large building complex, and now Bertl would like to close the gap in the four-sided courtyard.

Three new playgrounds, one of which is a "park for young and old"

The concerns of the little Steingadener are also being considered this year: the construction of three playgrounds is planned, namely at the elementary school, at the new cemetery and at the hop field.

However, the latter is to become more of a kind of “park for young and old”, as the mayor would like it to be.

It should be equipped with elements such as an amphitheater, barbecue area, mud holes, crawling devices and fruit plantings.

The municipality is currently working on corresponding drafts in coordination with a planning office.

Other construction projects that will keep Steingaden busy in 2023 are the renovation of Litzauerstraße and the construction of a 4.5-kilometer-long water pipe in Hirschau.

And the vending machine village shop that was launched last year – a concept that is unique in the region – is to be further expanded.

The highlight: All citizens can participate as direct providers, and that by machine.

Bertl would like to see an expansion of the home-fresh range of goods, "We want to get this off the ground bit by bit".

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