(Article Schwabmünchner Allgemeine from 06.05.2019 by Christian Kruppe)
Heinz Schwarzenbacher, Chairman of the Schwabmünchen Beautification Association, was in a good mood and in a joking mood on Saturday afternoon. "It's actually May, the weather is like April, but I feel like it's Christmas," said Schwarzenbacher, pointing to the gift that the Luitpoldpark received from the Schwabmünchen Rotary Club. The Rotarians have fulfilled a long-cherished wish for the club. Since Saturday, the Luitpoldpark has had an entrance gate - or rather - a portal. Three and a half meters wide and just over two and a half meters high, made of aluminum, Corten steel and wood. What sounds like a steel monster turns out to be a light, fresh and beautifully shaped work of art.
It was created by metalworker Armin Göppel from Großaiting. During the planning stage, he gave a lot of thought to how the gate should look in the end. "The gate has a lot of symbolic power," says Göppel. On the one hand, the two permanently installed and therefore always open door leaves with their wave shape represent the water, which is an important part of the park. On the other hand, the always open gate wings made of Corten steel symbolize that the park is open to everyone. The emblem of the Beautification Association embedded in the wings incorporates the association and the town into the design of the gate, as they are the main pillars of the park.
Two niches in the middle of the body invite visitors to linger. The front of the gate also provides information about the park and the donor, the Rotary Club.
The wooden structure above the gate is a symbol of nature and the trees that characterize the park. The construction also bears the words "Grüß Gott im Luitpoldpark", which once again emphasizes that Luitpoldpark is a park for everyone.
Matthias Lieckfeld, President of the Schwabmünchen Rotary Club, is "absolutely delighted" with the gate. He praised Göppel for his work, which "radiates a modern and dynamic character that does justice to both the park and the town". Lieckfeld also thanked the companies involved once again, including Metallbau Göppel, Baur Furniere, the Lehle joinery and paving contractor Franz Schnitzler.
Former District Councillor Dr. Karl Vogele also had nothing but praise for the work of art. "The vision of the founding fathers from 1883 is being carried forward. At the beginning of the 1970s, the massive, controversial expansion of the park was a milestone. In recent years, Heinz Schwarzenbacher and his fellow campaigners have led the park and the association into a new era," said Vogele. "Today, our park is a community park for young and old, big and small. This gate is another building block for the future of the park," he continued.
The question of whether there will be more gates remains open. "The desire is already there, but the financing must also be secured," says association boss Schwarzenbacher.
