The Bürgerhaus Landshut community centre is intended to be a contact point for everyone in the midst of a social trouble spot. ebm-papst Landshut is helping with the heating system
An address that is burdened with prejudice: in landshut, the street of Porschestraße represents dismal apartment blocks, tight living conditions and criminality. An unemployment rate of 80 percent is a bleak reality of life here. About 90 percent of the residents have a foreign background – and few prospects.
The project from the landshut Community Foundation, founded three years ago, promises a ray of hope. In the middle of the neighbourhood, ground was broken on October 1 of last year for a community meeting point. Anke Humpeneder-Graf, the Chairperson of the Foundation explains: “Our goal is to provide help for self-help. We do not see ourselves primarily as an information centre. Teenagers, parents, the elderly and children should have a place to get together, to have a conversation, to discover commonalities, to actively develop new interests and, thereby, to escape the isolation of their own four walls.” An ambitious goal in view of the multitude of problems.
But Humpeneder-graf has already proved her endurance by recruiting sponsors. This is because the initiative’s 900,000 EUr project could only be realised thanks to the great generosity of local organisations. Numerous personal contacts opened doors for the dedicated woman – and she was even able to quickly convince stefan Brandl, Managing Director at ebm-papst in Landshut. “Ms Humpeneder-Graf officially got me on board with her dedication and enthusiasm and we just wanted to be a part of this great project.”
The primary deciding factor for Brandl was the opportunity to create prospects for young people from the region. The community meeting point is being built on the location which had housed the FC Eintracht association’s headquarters up until now – about 300 meters from ebm-papst as the crow flies. “A win-win situation for everybody. The football association got a new clubhouse under our roof and we broke the ice with the people in the neighbourhood. The path to our door is well-worn thanks to the connection with the sporting club,” says the Chairperson happily.
ebm-papst is coordinating the project planning and installation of the heating system. “After our talk, I immediately began my search for additional supporters,” reports Brandl. He was able to convince Anton Oberpriller, who took over the installation of the system, and the Viessmann Werke. ebm-papst and Viessmann are sharing the costs for the 50 kilowatt gas condensing boiler and the 500 litre hot water storage tank.
The community centre plans to open its doors in the summer of 2012. “We are ready and are just waiting for the planners to call,” says Brandl. And he is very excited about how the project is developing, because it is not over for him after the installation of the heating system. “It’s easy for us to imagine getting involved more when it’s up and running as well, perhaps with a training presentation. since, as a large employer in the region, we have a responsibility and would like to give everyone a chance – even the people on Porschestraße.”
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