"We will lead our three kindergartens into the future" – this resolution was passed unanimously at the december meeting of the steinbach town council. Extensive preparatory work and discussions with the parties concerned were necessary in order to bring their ideas to a common understanding. A herculean task, as mayor thomas loffler (CSU) said at the time. Now, in the course of a meeting of the committee for school, family and social affairs, in the presence of representatives of the daycare centers, the parents’ advisory council and the church administration, he informed them about the planned renovation, conversion and expansion measures as well as about the demand situation.
"Currently, the kitas are overcrowded", in his review of the gradual development to date, the chairman explained that there were. In 2018, a survey of parents of children from zero to twelve years of age was carried out for the needs analysis. The needs plan resulting from this and from the occupancy figures of the daycare centers was recognized by the municipal council – as a basis for the application of the respective church administration to the archdiocese, the municipality and the government.
Alternative quarters needed
In 2019, the discussion about the future position of the three daycare centers was intensively pursued – with the basic decision taken at the end of 2019 to maintain all three facilities and to expand them through modernization, conversion and renovation, respectively. To bring forward an extension. For this purpose, appropriate alternative or alternative solutions have also been found. We need to find temporary quarters.
"This has already happened in steinbach am wald", the chairman explained that the old parish house had been modernized for this purpose, mainly on the company’s own initiative. For the particularly overcrowded buchbacher kiga st. Elisabeth, there had been some tense discussions with regard to an alternative quarter. After examining the various options, a very good solution was found in the former buchbacher kindergarten in the center of town, which will be available for use from the coming kindergarten year. There is sufficient space in windheim. There are problems here due to the low ceiling heights in the basement and the. Keller "only problems with the construction, which, however, would continue to be tolerated by the district office as the supervisory authority.
"This year, we have brought the plans to a stage where they are ready to be applied for", loffler was pleased to now have a planning status for all three facilities and to be able to submit them as a request for proposals.
Municipality should take over
For the steinbach daycare center. Franziskus there were twelve planning options. In the meantime, the final plan is available, with which there is general agreement. The outer shell of the institution had been renovated about ten years ago, but the inner rooms were completely worn out after 40 years. In buchbach, there were the alternatives of attaching in three different sky directions. The variant of an extension in the direction of a multigenerational house was rejected, since this would also have affected the festival site. The extension is now to be built in the direction of kirchgasse.
"A significant factor is the cost side", emphasized the chairman. Although all three buildings are owned by the local catholic church foundations, the basic responsibility lies with the municipality. At the request of the parish council, the church was to retain ownership of the building as well as of the building itself. "However, the archbishopric of bamberg has a clear position that ownership should pass into the hands of the community", loffler made it clear that this transfer of ownership would entail large sums for the community – from the current investments to the follow-up costs. However, the opinion of the archdiocese is not to be disputed. If the municipality does not expand, the church will continue to run the daycare centers, but only with the number of children permitted for the existing buildings. "However, this is not our intention", he made clear.
With regard to the current investment costs, the church would participate in the non-requirable cost share. The cost of the request depends on the financial situation of the municipality. Since steinbach is in a good position, it will "only" receive funding from the government a FAG demand of 30 percent. With total costs of two million euros for the steinbach facility, the municipality – after deducting the church’s share – would be left with an own contribution of 1.3 to 1.4 million euros. However, the demand situation has not yet been clarified in detail.
Money from the economic stimulus package?
At the end of august, the fourth special investment program – which has once again been fully utilized – will expire. It is not yet clear how far this will be extended another time. However, a new approach is now in place which could prove to be successful. Thus, in the wake of the corona crisis, a new economic stimulus package with a total volume of 1.5 billion euros for the expansion or. The renovation of kindergartens. "This could be a perfect fit for us", he hoped. It is important to have the plans already in the drawer when the demand program comes out.
There will be applications for all the demanded items. At present, the budget situation looks quite good again and reserves are available to be able to realize the projects in 2021. Should the demand program not be so effective in detail, the measures will be implemented one after the other in the course of a four-year plan. "But we are in good spirits", he said.
The next step will also be to prepare the building lease for the three facilities. Thus, three different processes are currently being worked on in parallel – the submission of applications for the building permits, the preparation of the transfer of ownership and the submission of the building applications. A transfer of the land of the church to the parish – as requested by tamaz chinchaladze (BLS) – is not possible under foundation law, only in the case of an exchange of a comparable building plot. According to the mayor, this would be relatively easy in buchbach; in steinbach and windheim it would be necessary to draw a clear line due to the existing spatial connection with the church and kindergarten, respectively. The parish house, however, difficult.
While the final plans for the steinbach daycare center had already been presented to the committee by the schottner architectural firm, the agreement of those responsible for the facilities in buchbach and windheim was still required. They were very impressed by the plans subsequently presented by the mayor. For steinbach, the total cost is 2.005 million euros, including ancillary construction costs and equipment. The existing building of 486 square meters will be extended by 275 square meters.
Double flat in buchbach
In buchbach, the annex is to be built to the rear, but offset slightly upwards because of the sun’s rays. The stock of 232 square meters is expanded by about the same flat. For the cultivation a flat of 100 square meters of the adjacent field is needed, for which the owner has already declared his agreement. The cost estimate here is 870,000 euros, without the land and without the costs determined by the expert planners. For example, the heating system is already old. "How deep you go into stock renovation depends on the demand program", the mayor clarified.
The same also applies to the kindergarten st. Nikolaus windheim, where the stock is extended to the front. For this also the garage must disappear. In the lower area respectively. In the basement, a dining room for the children with kitchen and pantry is to be created, for which the room height is sufficient. In terms of costs, one calculates here with about 810 00 euro, also without the expert planner costs.
"I am very happy for the kindergarten", stated angela wiegand (CSU), who also suggested applying for a k-loan subsidy for energy renovation. Anke weib (CSU) suggested, among other things, thinking about a solar or photovoltaic system. The mayor had already brought this forward; however, the planning offices were not "enthusiastic" about it for economic reasons. However, the planners will investigate alternatives.
"It was a great relief for all of us today", churchwarden manfred fehn showed his gratitude – under rough applause – afterwards.
