Kall on the abyss: Refurbishment of the town hall stalls due to lack of money!

Kall on the abyss: Refurbishment of the town hall stalls due to lack of money!

The municipality of Kall is faced with the challenge of stabilizing its budget. As a result, planned construction projects, such as the new council hall in the House of Encounter, have to be canceled. The existing council hall, which was converted into office space after the devastating flood disaster in July 2021, remains. The meetings of the municipal council and committees will in future take place in the seminar room of the house of the encounter, which is somewhat larger at 139 square meters than the old council hall, the 131 square meter.

The town hall operation in Kall has been in a state of continuing renovation for years. The old building from the 1950s and the extension from the 1970s were badly damaged in the flood disaster in July 2021. The ground floors of both construction phases were affected and had to be completely gutted. The flood not only brought massive destruction with it, but also tragic losses: three people lost their lives while many more were injured. The fire brigade and emergency services faced unexpected challenges when they had to encounter the destructive water masses in Kall, Sötenich and Urft. The water height reached up to two meters, which caused the fire brigade to bring its emergency services and vehicles to safety.

long -term solutions and current measures

In order to ensure the profitability of the town hall, the project of energetic renovation is promoted in parallel to the structural renewal. As part of an EU funding program, radiators are renewed in the cultivation, and the entire heating system will be replaced in the old building and new windows are installed. The estimated costs for the entire work amount to over four million euros and the completion of the construction work is scheduled for the summer of 2025. Nevertheless, it is emphasized that the ongoing town hall operation must be maintained during the renovation work.

The former council hall on the second floor is permanently converted into five offices with a total of seven jobs. This conversion also includes the renewal of slope ceilings and floor coverings. The increase in employees in the Kaller administration, which currently has 71 office workstations, illustrates the need for this measure.

consequences of the flood disaster

The flood disaster not only left physical damage, but also significantly burdened the social structure of the community. Infrastructure problems such as the failure of electricity, water and telephone supply and the destruction of living space were noticeable. Minister Ina Scharrenbach visited Kall and was affected by the destruction. Mayor Hermann-Josef Esser expressed that removal of the damage will take years.

The reconstruction continues. Volunteers have already started to clear out the fire station damaged by the flood and to get replacement for destroyed equipment. The Cologne-Trier railway line, which runs between Urft and Kall, is also affected by the floods and remains inactive for weeks.

Kall's urban development must now be supported by responsible financial policy and community commitment in order to create a positive future perspective even in view of the difficult circumstances. As reported [Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger], the increase in the building to create a new council is not pursued, which underlines the need for a timely and suitable solution.