Planning for a natural pool on the property at Hirschwinkel in Höhenkirchen-Siegertsbrunn can begin. The majority of the municipal council voted for a change in the development plan for the area on Sportplatzstraße and for a modification of the land use plan. “We are at the beginning of the planning phase, nothing has been written down yet,” emphasized Mayor Mindy Konwitschny (SPD) – not least in the direction of those residents who had recently written to the town hall out of concern about noise and parking lot chaos. Konwitschny announced that a citizen information evening would be scheduled early in the process. “Then we will also invite everyone who lives around there.”
At the end of April, a majority of the municipal council – against the votes of the CSU parliamentary group – spoke out in favor of making the municipal property on Hirschwinkel available to the Naturbad Höhenkirchen-Siegertsbrunn association, which was founded in 2012, for the construction of such a facility. The prerequisite is, of course, that all legal requirements can be met on the site of a former gravel pit. The club also has to come up with the funding. The head of the club, Jochen Kahl, has always been convinced that the construction of a natural pool at Hirschwinkel is feasible. According to him, an “absolute eco-bath” is to be created there, with a self-contained water cycle and without the use of chlorine. According to the association, which has 1,500 members, the construction costs will be around 2.4 million euros. When it comes to financing, you want to rely on a mixture of donations, sponsorship money and loans.
The association stirs the advertising drum
Shortly after the municipal council decided in favor of a natural pool, the association banged the drum and distributed a flyer in the village that presented the project. However, this was not well received everywhere. Some residents criticized the plans – especially the wording, according to which club members should have access to the natural pool “at any time”. After all, they fear the noise and traffic pollution that will probably go hand in hand with a swimming pool. Against this background, Otto Bußjäger (independent citizens) applied in the municipal council meeting to extend the scope for the change in the development plan – to Sportplatzstrasse. “This should also be a signal to the citizens that we do not want a single development from Hirschwinkelstrasse. That is the unanimous opinion of the municipal council,” said Bußjäger, whose motion found a clear majority.
In the end, only the CSU faction voted against the decision. Its members had already stated in previous meetings that they were opposed to a natural pool on the area of a backfilled gravel pit, mainly because of safety concerns. Meanwhile, Mayor Konwitschny said: “Anyone who cycled through the town in summer saw a baby paddling pool in every second garden. They may not all be necessary if we have a natural pool in the community.” The head of the town hall emphasized that there was still a long way to go. And: “Public participation is only just beginning.”