The future of the Rigi-Rutsch'n (here a picture of the "pool serenade" about a year ago) is always a topic in Peißenberg. © Regina Wahl-Geiger
Stefan Ziegler wants to have a transparent discourse about the future of the Rigi-Rutsch'n – disconnected from ongoing operations. The fact that this could be difficult was shown in the market council.
Peißenberg – Actually, it was planned that Stefan Ziegler, board member of the municipal utilities, would inform the committee members about the new price table and the current situation in the pool park in the non-public part of the market council meeting. At the request of Cornelia Wutz (Citizens' Association), however, the lecture of the board of the municipal utilities was hoisted into the public part. In terms of content, the councils did not learn anything significantly new. Ziegler repeated what the local newspaper had already reported on in the aftermath of a press conference.
The plant manager defended the price increase for the outdoor pool (on average around 25 percent). The entrance fee for adults (nine euros) would result in an hourly rate of just around 1.10 euros for an assumed length of stay in the bathroom of eight hours: "Where can you still do that today?", says Ziegler. The reassessment of prices was approached with "sensitivity". The new tableau is balanced, but also reflects inflation and the increase in energy costs.
Loyalty discount for the sauna?
"Giving away services cannot be our main work," Ziegler explained. The reactions in the social media also indicated understanding: "We are far from a perceived shit-storm." However, improvements may still be made to the sauna entrance: "We are considering whether we should also introduce a loyalty discount for the sauna," says Ziegler.
Peißenberger worried about the future of the bathroom
The price table was not objected to in the municipal council: "I also see it in such a way that the prices have to be adjusted," said Wutz. However, she was "astonished" that the newspaper had also reported on a possible urban marketing of the current open-air swimming pool area and on a new building elsewhere. "My cell phone hasn't stood still anymore," Wutz explained: "The people of Peißenberg are worried." The Rigi slide is a "sensitive topic": "You have to be careful." Before talking about dismantling, Wutz said in the direction of Ziegler, one had to consider how to preserve the pool park.
Bernd Schewe (SPD) expressed a similar view: "The first goal must be the preservation of the bath." Parliamentary group colleague Maximilian Maar, on the other hand, differentiated: "I don't see it the same way as you, Conny." With regard to the future of the bathroom, one must think openly about options. The market treasurer will also have an important say in the discussion. The political discourse simply has to be separated from the ongoing operation of the pool park.
Plant manager warns against "talking things down"
Mayor Frank Zellner (CSU) came to a similar assessment. Of course, one has to make "general considerations": "Not to do it would not be right." However, marketing and a possible new building is "only one of 1000 variants". The debate about the Rigi slides is being conducted behind the scenes against the background that the municipal administration wants to present a plan for cost savings in the municipal budget by autumn. The voluntary services (library, club subsidies, ice rink, deep tunnel hall, mining museum, etc.) are to be put to the test. One of them is the Rigi-Rutsch'n. Every year, the municipality pays a loss compensation and an investment lump sum to the municipal utilities. The total amount was recently increased from 300,000 to 400,000 euros. But even that is unlikely to be enough in the long run. In the medium to long term, the plants predict an increase in the pool park deficit to just under two million euros. Currently, it is "only" a little more than one million euros.
Behind closed doors, there is a lot of discussion in the political environment – including options. According to reports, a "swimming pool cooperation" with Weilheim has already been considered internally. So far, however, these are all just rumors that Ziegler is unlikely to like. "You can also destroy things very quickly," warned the plant manager during his appearance at the market council.