Willingen is to receive 1.2 million euros for the Schwalefeld Festival Hall
Caption: First Deputy District Administrator Karl-Friedrich Frese (left in the picture), together with Theresia Schneider, Head of the Village and Regional Development Department (right in the picture), presented a grant notification on site in Upland for the refurbishment of the Schwalefeld festival hall. Willingen’s Mayor Thomas Trachte (2nd from right) and Schwalefeld’s village head Stephan Leyhe (2nd from left) are delighted with the financial support totalling 1.2 million euros. (Photo: Waldeck-Frankenberg District)
Good news for the municipality of Willingen: it is to receive an earmarked grant to support village development and community facilitation, specifically for the refurbishment of the Schwalefeld festival hall. Karl-Friedrich Frese, First Deputy District Administrator and Head of the Rural Affairs Department, travelled to the Upland region in person to present the grant approval notice for €1.2 million to Mayor Thomas Trachte and Stephan Leyhe, the head of the Schwalefeld local council.
“An investment of around €3 million – of which the local authority is contributing around €1.8 million itself – is more than worth a visit to Willingen,” said Councillor Frese, emphasising the importance of the project and highlighting its particular significance for Schwalefeld. After all: “The village pubs where people used to meet and foster a sense of community have all but disappeared.” Therefore, money invested in creating an alternative venue for people to come together is always money well spent.
Mayor Trachte expressed his heartfelt thanks for the substantial financial support provided for the refurbishment of the Schwalefeld Festival Hall: “The municipality of Willingen is well aware that such large sums are extremely rare in village development.” The aim of the construction project is to create a modern, accessible event venue that offers optimal facilities for clubs and other interested parties and features an expanded range of catering options. “Without such a central venue, it is virtually impossible to sustain a vibrant village life in the long term,” said the mayor. An event centre such as the Festhalle helps to consolidate social structures and strengthen the sense of community amongst the local population.
Local council chairman Leyhe also joined in expressing his thanks to the district and the State of Hesse. He was particularly pleased that, following the refurbishment, the Festhalle will be able to be used all year round. “The function hall is something very special for the people of the village,” emphasised Leyhe. A glance at Schwalefeld’s calendar of events shows just how versatile its uses are – from the choir, which can use the rooms as a rehearsal space, to family celebrations and other events.
The Festhalle was originally built as a barn. Its character, typical of the local area, is still clearly evident in its appearance today and forms part of its special atmosphere. This makes it all the more important to preserve this character whilst at the same time adapting the hall to meet the demands of the future. The refurbishment will transform the former barn into a modern and versatile community centre, where the building’s history and the demands of contemporary use are seamlessly combined. Together with the new village community hall, this will create an important meeting place for the village community and a venue that will continue to provide space for socialising, celebrations and events in the future. Leyhe said he could hardly imagine a more exciting start to his term as village mayor. He expressed particular thanks to his predecessor, Christopher Leeser, for his significant and crucial groundwork, as well as to the entire former village council.