New year, new luck. In 2023 - the third year of coronavirus - Rodgau has a number of projects in the pipeline. For example, Ludwig-Erhard-Platz in Dudenhofen is to be redesigned. Construction work is due to start in September and is divided into three sections. There will be another major construction site in Schillerstraße in Weiskirchen. The road here will be completely renovated. In addition, the "Hopper" on-demand bus is to replace the call-and-collect taxi.
The people of Rodgau show great solidarity for the families from Breslauer Straße, who were left without shelter after a roof fire last December. The Offenbach band PFH is organising a charity concert and will be performing free of charge. The entrance fee of 30 euros per ticket will be donated in full.
A building on Nieuwpoorter Straße in Dudenhofen is also searched during a nationwide drugs raid. The "Joint Narcotics Investigation Group" searched several properties in the Offenbach and Main-Kinzig districts. In total, the investigators seized cash amounting to 6.3 million euros, jewellery worth 220,000 euros and several kilos of cocaine, marijuana and hashish.
With a subsidy programme for balcony solar systems, the city of Rodgau would like to support private individuals with up to 200 euros to contribute to clean energy generation and climate protection. A total of 100,000 euros is available for this programme over four years. The offer is also being utilised: In October, the capacities for 2023 were already exhausted.
The city council is continuing to take action against pavement parking. In pre-announced road sections, the public order authority appeals to residents and parkers to please park on their own property or on the road to keep the pavement clear for pedestrians.
There should be more space for bicycles at S-Bahn stations. This wish is set out in a motion by the SPD, FDP, Greens, Animal Welfare Party and Free Voters for the 2023 budget.
After the bloody crime in Hainhausen last May, the harrowing case is now being heard at Darmstadt District Court. The 35-year-old confesses to the offence and is sentenced to 12 years in prison.
After almost three years, the city council is back in session in the town hall. One particular topic: the 2023 budget. The city councillors voted in favour of the 2023 budget by an overwhelming majority. There were only two votes against. The city parliament set five priorities: 200,000 euros for bicycle parking spaces at the S-Bahn stations, 200,000 euros for planting more trees in the city area, 2,500 euros to reimburse costs for animal welfare organisations, 10,000 euros for additional measuring and display boards, 20,000 euros for a mobile projector-screen combination for the community centres.
Unfortunately, pine trees infected with the Diploda fungus to the east of Weiskirchen have to be felled. The 15-hectare area is being colonised with climate-resistant trees as part of the reforestation after the severe storm in 2019.
There is a "new" club in Rodgau: the Jügesheimer Sport- und Kulturverein (JSK) has become the Sport- und Kulturgemeinschaft (SKG). The Weiskirchen sports association has been added. Rodgau's largest club has thus expanded once again. A total of 4200 people are registered with SKG Jügesheim.
After a two-year break, he/she/it can be celebrated again: Carnival, carnival, carnival. The fifth season was heralded on 11 November 2022 with the flag-raising ceremony and carnival revellers warmed up for the grand finale - the Giesem carnival parade. Once again, the clubs celebrated at many carnival events. There was something for young and old. The traditional town hall storm with confetti cannon and handover of the town treasury also took place again. There was an exuberant atmosphere at the parade on Shrove Tuesday. In bright sunshine and blue skies, thousands of people came together to watch the parade on the streets of Jügesheim and to catch the odd camelle. This was greeted with a hearty "Giesem? HELAU!" in thanks.
23 February 2023. The employees of the city administration and municipal utilities will remember this day for a long time to come. What happened? A hacker attack on the city administration paralyses the entire system-controlled work process. Initially, a technical defect is assumed. Over the course of the day, however, there were increasing indications that it was a cyberattack. City employees cannot be reached by email or telephone. Only the central numbers are free. Attempts are now being made to bring the system back up bit by bit. It is not possible to estimate how long this will take. The cyber attack will keep the city administration busy until the end of the year. The damage amounts to a seven-figure sum.
During Corona it was digital, now it is hybrid: the 27th education fair can once again take place on site in the Wiesbadener Straße sports hall and the Heinrich Böll School after the Corona pandemic. For 27 years, young people have had the opportunity to find out about apprenticeships and further education programmes in Rodgau and the surrounding area. This year, 120 exhibiting companies and schools took part. Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger also paid a visit to the education fair.
But no hydrogen refuelling station? At least not yet, as the city council has decided. First of all, a new profitability calculation is to be carried out. The plan was to build a municipal hydrogen refuelling station and fast-charging stations for electric cars between the Jügesheim industrial estate and the VGP business park on the new D 30 industrial estate in 2021. New hydrogen buses were also to be put into operation at the same time. This has now been abandoned for the time being. "Ultimately, it's taxpayers' money that we're spending," says Mayor Max Breitenbach. He therefore wants to "double and triple-check that nothing goes wrong".
A new car park for 88 cars is currently being built at the Jügesheim forest cemetery. You can now park on the west side from Weiskircher Straße. The car park is intended for several locations: the cemetery, the hospice, the restaurant and the sports hall. There are charging points for electric cars and bicycle boxes. 19 trees will also be planted between the car parks.
March starts well for Stadtwerke Rodgau. According to the 2021 investment report, Stadtwerke has recovered from its economic slump in 2020.
The Easter market is also opening its doors again after the forced break due to the coronavirus pandemic and is generating enthusiasm among decoration fans. The market has been around since 1987, where local hobby artists offer a range of products to decorate your home for spring: Flowering plants for the garden, decorated eggs, handicrafts, home-knitted baby and doll clothes and much more. Visitors and exhibitors were satisfied with the result. The city passes on the income from the stand fees to the SOS-Helferkreis without any deductions. A total of 1,116 euros was raised.
There is a new alliance in the city parliament: the Free Voters and SPD factions join forces with the CDU. This means that the FDP, the Greens and the Animal Welfare Party are now in opposition. The aim now is to form a coalition in the city parliament until the end of the 2026 electoral term through swift, trust-based negotiations. The new alliance has 24 of the 45 seats and therefore has a stable majority. Those "left behind" are surprised that the Free Voters and SPD are leaving the alliance that has been in place for 15 years.
The cyber attack continues to occupy the city administration. The damage is greater than previously assumed and the network needs to be reorganised from the ground up. The city wants to share how to act in such a case, which contact persons are available at the state of Hesse and which information should be made public in a guide and experience report. "We want to make what we learn available to others," says Sabine Hooke, press officer for the city of Rodgau. In the meantime, the city has posted FAQs about the cyber attack on its website.
Baptisms can only be performed at the baptismal font? Not only that. In the Rodgau-Dreieich deanery, baptisms also take place in unusual places. The parishes in Dudenhofen and Nieder-Roden are planning a baptism celebration at the bathing lake in Nieder-Roden for the first time. Pastor Barbara Schindler from the Protestant church in Götzenhain emphasises the more relaxed atmosphere than at a baptism in the church.
The city of Rodgau had set itself a major goal with the 500 trees project (based on a city council resolution from 2016). For five years, the city planted 100 trees in the built-up urban area to improve the microclimate. The project is now on the home straight and the city council is making 735,000 euros available. The high costs are due to the fact that sealed surfaces have to be broken up and the maintenance of the trees for the first five years is included in the price.
Rodau Park in Jügesheim is to be remodelled. The city councillors have approved the design plan for Rodau Park in Jügesheim, which incorporates ideas from the Charette process in September. This plan was drawn up by landscape architect Ulrike Stockert from Mühlheim. The park will be divided into three zones: In zone 1, the playground previously located in the centre is to be relocated to the north and enlarged. A "theatre garden" will form the new centre of the park in zone 2. Seating steps are planned here and a bocce court, balancing elements and a trampoline will provide exercise incentives. The southern part of the zone will be rounded off with benches, deckchairs and flower beds. The event meadow will have an electricity and water connection. In total, the remodelling will cost around 750,000 euros. The money has been available for a year.
Cui honorem, honorem - honour to whom honour is due. This is how the town's evening of honour for sporting achievements can be summarised. Every year, the town of Rodgau honours sportswomen and sportsmen for their successes. So it is not unusual for champions at state, national, European and world level to share the stage on this evening. At the end, special focus is placed on honouring the athlete and team of the year. For 2022, this was Maja Novosel, who impressed the judges with her impressive unicycle routine on the theme of "Psycho" at the "Unicon" Unicycle World Championships in Grenoble. HSG Nieder-Roden's A-youth handball team was honoured as Team of the Year. The team led by coach Christian Sommer won the DHB Cup. The young handball players beat Vfl Horneburg in the final four of the tournament.
March is drawing to a close. This means that preparations for the coming bathing season are in full swing. Dredging is currently taking place on two sides of the Nieder-Roden lido: in the north-west, the gravel excavator is bringing the raw material to the surface, while the non-swimmer zone on the beach is being dredged. The sand from the textile beach has slipped away so that the non-swimmer zone is now only 20 cm deep. When the season opens at the end of April, the water in the non-swimmers' area will also have the usual depth.
Konrad-Kappler-Straße in Jügesheim is currently being renovated and converted into a completely traffic-calmed area. This primarily involves a new road surface, and the wooden pedestrian bridge is also being dismantled. The municipal utilities and the responsible construction companies have communicated the fact that there may be restrictions with local residents. Restaurant owner Jürgen Herr says that this has not been done to an appropriate extent, which is why suppliers can no longer drive directly to his restaurant and one of Herr's delivery cars is now stuck in the car park because the roadworks barriers are obstructing the exit. To ensure that citizens can find out about major construction sites in future, the city decides to share information and status updates about construction sites on its website and on social media.
How should the skate park at the bathing lake be designed in future? 25 young people explore this question and write down their wishes and ideas in a participatory process. After the six-hour workshop, the result: a calisthenics park, football pitch and graffiti walls are at the top of the wish list. A kiosk, which could be run by the young people themselves, should not only offer snacks, but also hire out sports equipment. According to city planner Peter Kämmerling, the ideas are realisable. Mayor Max Breitenbach promises "that we will get straight down to planning."
After the long compulsory corona break, the volunteer fire brigade's Easter bonfire also takes place on the fairground next to the southern police station. The absence of festivals is noticeable: it has never been as full as this year.
It was announced in March and now the new majority in the city parliament has officially been finalised. The CDU, SPD and Free Voters parliamentary groups have signed the coalition agreement. This means that the Free Voters and the SPD are leaving the alliance that held the political majority in the city council for 15 years. The political goals were set out on twelve pages. Among other things, affordable housing and social housing are to be created, the construction of a town hall and the extension of Rodgau-Ring-Straße to the north are to be examined and the digitalisation of the municipal administration is to be driven forward.
The new majority is also active in parliament. The city bus is to be completely replaced by the hopper of the district transport company. It was decided that the magistrate should negotiate with Schau ins Land Hain GmbH from Rödermarkt about an early termination of the transport service contract, which runs until December 2030. The move is justified by the fact that Rodgau finances the hopper via the district levy anyway, but does not benefit from it.
The city council provides an update on the cyber attack. Seven weeks after the attack, Mayor Max Breitenbach gave details at the weekly press conference. Hackers got into the system via email with so-called Ramsonware. This software encrypts data so that a ransom can then be extorted. IT security expert Benjamin Nejri, who was consulted, emphasised that "no ransom has been paid to date, even if such a demand had been made. For the past four weeks, the IT specialists, led by department head Achim Fischer, have been working on setting up the entire network from scratch. Each of the 150 servers has to be reconfigured, which takes eight to 15 hours per device. In addition, all 650 workstation computers are being completely reconfigured. The city is using the forced break on the PCs to strengthen the systems against attacks.
Mayor Max Breitenbach would also like to strengthen the efficiency of the administration. For example, certain areas of the municipal utilities and the city administration are to be merged. This particularly affects IT, controlling and public relations. The merger should be completed by the end of 2023 or the beginning of 2024. According to Max Breitenbach, no redundancies are planned.
"Where to put 92 metres of artwork?" - is the headline in the Rodgau section of the Offenbach Post, reporting on the search by the Agency for Culture, Sport and Volunteering (AKSE) for an art lover with plenty of space who can save the façade of the former soot factory between Jügesheim and Hainhausen from being scrapped. The disused soot factory is being demolished and so the artwork entitled "Skurrile Typen" can no longer remain on the wall of the site.
May begins and that means: the lido season opens. The weather for the opening is typical, as it is cold and cloudy. But at least it's not raining. Probably just a small consolation for the brave DLRG members who venture into the ten-degree water for their first swim. The swim is framed by the DLRG awards and a varied opening programme. This included the magician AbraXas and the children's dance group from TG Nieder-Roden. Several day-care centres offered arts and crafts and face painting for children, the open youth work team gave visitors the chance to try out graffiti spraying, go on a treasure hunt or try their hand at stand-up paddling or water-walking balls. Culinary delights included a hearty barbecue and sweet ice cream. Another highlight was the handover and christening of a new lifeboat for the DLRG. The new boat is equipped with sonar, which makes it much easier to search for missing persons in the water. The marine lifesaver was christened "Rodgau". The entire opening was accompanied by music from the acoustic duo Zweispurig and in the evening by DJ Stadi. Another innovation at the lido: the wooden shade mushrooms have been dismantled. They had become rotten. As a replacement, awnings will be installed to provide shade during the hot and sunny lido season.
The maypole in Dudenhofen was also erected on the day the lido opened. The 15 metre high pole was erected with a crane to the sound of applause and brass band music. In the past, this was still done with muscle power, but after the experience of the storm in 2017, which broke the wooden maypole, the pole is now made of steel and is much more robust. As always, the maypole remains standing until November.
After Corona, the first of May is also the time of the 1st of May celebrations. TSV Dudenhofen celebrates at the forest recreation centre and the Rodgau Süd fire brigade invites people to an open day at the fire station in Feldstraße. The number of visitors clearly shows that celebrating and being together has been missing. As a result, there is a twofold imbalance between supply and demand at the Gänsbrüh. But this will certainly be rectified next time.
The town of Rodgau has advertised 20 new rental flats for rent. The demand is enormous: 1000 interested parties have already registered with the city council. The flats are located above the new daycare centres in Hainhausen West (Luise-Hensel-Weg 2 - 4) and in Weiskirchen (Hauptstraße 177), with flats above some of the daycare centres and a photovoltaic system on the roof of KITA 18 in Lange Straße. With an output of 12.6 kWp, electricity is generated for the entire building. Among other things for the installed heat pump.
Shortly before the start of the Offenbach district transport company's Hopper, the Verkehrsclub Deutschland expresses its concerns about the decision to completely replace the city bus route (OF 40) with the Hopper. The on-call bus would mean disadvantages for passengers and higher costs for the city.
The current rainfall in recent weeks may not suggest it, but it is important to save water. For this reason, the district of Offenbach and all 13 local authorities are launching the "Every drop counts" campaign with the respective municipal utilities. For eight weeks, there will be tips, suggestions and interesting facts about water and how to save it. According to the Hessian State Agency for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology, the groundwater situation remains tense. This is not only due to the lack of rain last year, but above all to the large deficit in precipitation during the exceptionally dry year of 2018 and the dry years that followed in 2019 and 2020. District Administrator Oliver Quilling notes that even small changes can make a big difference if everyone works together.
Rodgau is getting a second cycle lane. On Dr.-Weinholz-Straße in Dudenhofen, cyclists now also have priority in Burgstraße and Eppsteiner Straße. The town hopes that this will improve road safety. "Burgstraße in particular has an absolute canalisation function," says First City Councillor Michael Schüßler. It was a matter of "rectifying a situation that was simply not good", continued the councillor.
Another structural change begins in Dudenhofen. The symbolic ground-breaking ceremony for the remodelling of Ludwig-Erhard-Platz will take place on "Urban Development Day". From the square in front of the community centre to Nieuwpoorter Straße, Ludwig-Erhard-Platz is to become the central square in the Dudenhofen district and will be redesigned accordingly and traffic will be calmed. The construction work is expected to last until the end of 2024 [IMAGE, MORE INFORMATION].
A milestone birthday is celebrated in May. KITA 4 in Schillerstraße celebrates its 50 +1 anniversary. For well-known reasons (corona), the round birthday could not be celebrated in 2022, but this year all the more so. Despite the onset of rain. The individual groups have rehearsed various songs and perform them on the large stage in the Weiskirchen community centre. Food and drink are provided for the performers and visitors. Waste disposal charges will be raised on 1 July. This was decided by the town council. The charges will be increased by an average of 14.6 %. The rubbish charges were last adjusted in 2013. "Fees have to cover costs," says town hall boss Max Breitenbach.
Another decision by the city council: it approves a preliminary draft for the reconstruction of the footpath and cycle path along the Rodau (including the secondary routes through Lutherpark and along Dudenhöfer Straße). The plan is to tarmac the existing gravel path on the west side of the Rodau and create a continuous foot and cycle path to Jügesheim. This will make the important connecting axis between Dudenhofen and Jügesheim more convenient. The costs amount to approx. 1.1 million euros. However, around 75% can be financed by subsidies. [More information]
Some thought it was handsome. Others called it "rubble". In any case, it caused a lot of discussion: the "Colormaster R". Now the 28-metre-long art installation by Manuel Franke, which has stood in Rodaupark in Jügesheim since September 2020, is being dismantled. After the Städelgarten and Rodgau, the corrugated sheet metal elements are moving to North Rhine-Westphalia.
The town of Rodgau honours 18-year-old Laurans Tauber with the Cultural Promotion Prize. Tauber, a talented musician, received great applause for his skills on the trombone and piano. In his acceptance speech, he described the prize not as an honour, but as an incentive. In the laudatory speeches, Laurans Tauber was described as mature and mature-looking for his age. Tauber has shown great interest in art and music since a young age. He is known for working hard and playing his notes carefully. Nevertheless, he sometimes doubts himself and questions his highly sensitive self. His darker side as a musician was also addressed, with Tauber being praised as an incredible talent. He was described by trumpeter and mayor Max Breitenbach as a sponge that soaks up culture. Tauber signed the town's Golden Book and thanked his parents for their support. Tauber is described as a highly talented musician and a versatile person who is politically active and thinks about the world.
June begins with a handover: the State Secretariat for the Environment in Hesse hands over a grant of 55,250 euros to the town of Rodgau. The money is earmarked for the creation of a municipal soil protection concept. Soils play an important role in nutrition and the supply of raw materials, as well as for the natural balance as a habitat and water reservoir. The concept compiles data and information on soils in Rodgau and makes it available for administration and planning. The city administration wants to ensure that as little land as possible is utilised in the development of new residential areas and that soil losses are compensated for. Soil protection concepts are important in order to protect and preserve the soil in the long term. Local authorities have an important role to play in soil protection, as many tasks, such as urban land-use planning and green space maintenance, affect the soil. The project in Rodgau follows a pioneering pilot project that the Ministry of the Environment and the city of Wetzlar carried out in 2020.
Another aspect of better interaction with the environment and more climate protection is to leave the car at home more often and get out and about on foot or by bike. The city cycling campaign, in which the city of Rodgau is taking part for the fifth time this year, promotes this. A large festival around the town hall square invites you to celebrate the anniversary and many clubs, companies and institutions offer a colourful programme on the topics of cycling, climate protection and local mobility. There is also something to win after the three weeks of city cycling: the team with the most kilometres pedalled wins the challenge cup donated by the city of Rodgau.
A young man goes on trial in June. The public prosecutor's office accused the 25-year-old of stabbing the victim in the arm and stomach at the wine festival on Puiseauxplatz on 17 July 2022. The offender was sentenced to four years and six months in prison.
After 31 years, Martin Winter, Head of the Agency for Culture, Sport and Volunteering (AKSE), is leaving the city of Rodgau. Winter started out in the internal organisational unit before he was offered the management of AKSE in 2008. Martin Winter played a key role in the introduction of a digital ticket system for the Rodgau Theatre and the redesign of Rodgau Art.
Mayor Max Breiten expressed his anger at Deutsche Telekom on Facebook, as a planned expansion of the fibre optic network in the city cannot take place for the time being. The city had wanted to conclude a contract with a provider that would finance the expansion itself from 2024. However, the company withdrew its offer due to Telekom's behaviour. Breitenbach compared the situation with the fibre optic expansion in Taunusstein, where Telekom only became active when another provider was planning the expansion. This provider then stopped its activities so that there was no nationwide expansion. The mayor expressed his anger that this was further delaying the urgently needed fibre optic expansion. His predecessor Jürgen Hoffmann had already campaigned for a faster internet connection. At the time, Telekom had expanded its broadband network in the Offenbach district, but the work in Rodgau took longer than planned. In total, bandwidths of up to 100 MBit/s are involved.
For the tenth time, creative young talents are presenting their works at Rodgauer Jugendart. Launched in 2012 as the junior counterpart to Rodgau Art, the creative show offers young creative talents space to develop and public visibility. Over two days, visitors can see, hear and feel the works of painting, music and poetry. The Jugendart will be opened by Janina Kuner with a reading of selected, humorous texts.
The town of Rodgau has once again awarded the electricity concession for its northern districts to Energieversorgung Offenbach (EVO). The contract has a term of 20 years and ends a six-year legal tug-of-war Mayor Breitenbach describes the award as a good solution that allows both parties to open a new chapter of co-operation. The award of the electricity concession to Energieversorgung Rodgau (EVR), in which the city of Rodgau holds a 51 per cent stake, was contested by EVO and won in two instances. The Frankfurt Higher Regional Court declared the contract invalid as EVR had not fully met the suitability criteria set by the city.
It was announced in March and is now being realised. The Protestant parishes of Dudenhofen and Nieder-Roden will be baptising children and young people at the bathing lake for the first time. The reason for this is a nationwide campaign organised by the Protestant churches in Germany. A pair of grey wagtails have chosen an unusual nesting site. The songbirds have built their nest on a pontoon by the bathing lake - inaccessible to cats and martens. However, the bird parents no longer dare to approach the pontoon. They always turn away beforehand because of the bathers who are too close. The lido supervisors have now cordoned off the pontoon with flutter tape.
June ends with a party... The Strandbadfestival - one of the summer party institutions in Rodgau. Over two days, the bathing lake in Nieder-Roden becomes a party mile. The festival starts with the "White Summer Night". All guests wear white clothes and dance to the music of "Doctor Blond".
... and July starts with a festival. On the second day of the lido festival, "Mallorca" is on the theme programme. The motto is clear: party, party, party. Various artists from the genre will ensure this: Partymann Atze, Sabotage, Rick Arena, Stefan Stürmer, Markus Becker and Mütze Katze. Ballermann icon Mia Julia closes the event. A total of 5000 people attended the lido festival.
From July, the "Hopper" will replace the call-and-collect taxi (AST) in Rodgau. The on-demand shuttle from Kreisverkehrsgesellschaft Offenbach is a new service that pools customers' journey requests and only runs when needed. A journey can be booked via app or by telephone. There are higher costs for the city of Rodgau, as the Hopper is more expensive than the AST. In the first six months, the costs amount to around 135,000 euros compared to 72,000 euros for the AST. From 2024, the Hopper will be financed via the district levy. The hopper is politically controversial and will initially only be introduced as a trial service until the end of 2024. In addition to replacing the AST, the new parliamentary majority has instructed the municipal council to negotiate with Kreisverkehrsgesellschaft Offenbach mbH about a modern, low-emission and needs-based replacement for the OF-40 city bus route.
The Edelweiss Hiking Club celebrates its 100th anniversary with an academic matinee in the ballroom of the founding pub (then the Michelsbräu restaurant, now the Ristorante Il Capitano). There was a queue of well-wishers and some of them also brought high-calibre awards. First District Councillor Claudia Jäger and Mayor Max Breitenbach presented the silver badge of honour from the Hessian Minister President to Chairwoman Petra Haller. The Edelweiss Mandolin Orchestra was also honoured with the Pro-Musica plaque. The hiking club was founded a century ago with the aims of broadening horizons, promoting health and enjoying fellowship. These goals are still valid today, and in order to attract new members, they are also being promoted on social media.
Three Rodgau residents have been awarded letters of honour by the state of Hesse. Physiotherapist Markus Schönherr for his almost four decades of commitment to the Jügesheim-Hainhausen volunteer fire brigade. Frank Berg for 30 years of voluntary involvement in local self-government and Stefan Janke, who has also been an active volunteer for three decades - in the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrradclub (ADFC). The state of Hesse honours deserving volunteers with the letters of honour.
You'd think Paul the Panther had turned the clock. A year has already passed since Mayor Max Breitenbach took office. In a major interview with the Offenbach Post, Breitenbach looks back on the past year. A positive memory is that, for example, the financing of balcony solar systems was approved by the city parliament and 400 applications for the power plants were received within a short space of time. Max Breitenbach is disappointed that he had to "pull the emergency brake" on the topic of hydrogen, as he still considers hydrogen to be a sustainable energy source.
The association Kinder- und Jugendfarm Rodgau e. V. leases a plot of land in Finkenweg in Jügesheim from the town of Rodgau. A combination of adventure playground and children's farm is to be created on the 2,391 square metre site. The facility will be suitable for children and young people aged six to 14 and offer an extracurricular learning centre. Responsible interaction with nature, animals and plants will be at the centre of all activities. The organisation is now looking for volunteers to help develop the site and set up the facility. The opening hours will initially depend on how often volunteer staff are available to supervise. In the mornings, kindergartens and schools could visit the children's and youth farm as an excursion destination or use it for certain projects.
Hard times for TG Weiskirchen. The 137-year-old club has had to file for insolvency due to the rise in energy prices. Chairman Detlef Tiedt says that this step was "bitter", but that the board had to take it "out of caution" and because of an impending liquidity shortfall. Discussions with the company's bank and the city are to sound out prospects. One possible solution is to sell part of the gymnastics club's sports grounds as building land. "The insolvency application can also be withdrawn. The child has not yet fallen into the well," Tiedt continues.
The municipal council commissions the municipal authorities to examine the construction of a town hall. Among other things, the space requirements and possible costs as well as the naming of potential locations are to be determined. A reason for the politicians to vote: Due to the infrastructure, there is a lack of offers that are already familiar from cities such as Hofheim, Oberursel, Neu-Isenburg and Langen. A town hall is not only a venue for concerts and clubs, but can also be used for conferences, meetings and corporate events.
Good news for the "Rasselbande". The future of Rodgau's oldest parents' initiative is secure. After the rental agreement for the former residential building in Jahnstraße was not extended because the landlord needed space for his young family, the city offered him a plot of land ready for construction from its portfolio as an alternative. The municipal council, on the other hand, asked the city council to buy the house in Jahnstraße in order to secure the existence of the two KITA groups with 27 places for under and over three-year-olds.
After three weeks of city cycling, the results are now available. The 793 participants cycled a total of 191,816 kilometres. That's 47,486 kilometres more than last year and 31 tonnes of CO2 were saved. Bernd Fischer cycled the most kilometres, namely 2,772.2 kilometres, while Radsportfreunde Rodgau had the most team kilometres on the clock with 34,914 kilometres. The next city cycling event starts on 2 June 2024.
To ensure that cyclists continue to have a good connection from their home to Frankfurt in the future, a cycle highway is to be built across the Offenbach district from Seligenstadt to the Gateway Garden and Terminals 1 and 2. A feasibility study also names the preferred route for this important infrastructure project. At 38 kilometres, it would be the longest cycle highway in Hesse. [MORE INFO]
The large hall of the Weiskirchen community centre cannot be used following water damage. The renovations will take eight weeks. Service 7 is using the time to completely redo the heating and the floor in the hall. The mastic asphalt will also be poured again before the parquet flooring can be laid. A total of 12 tonnes are needed for 130 square metres. [PICTURES]
The summer holiday games are taking place without restrictions this year. The children taking part are very happy about this, because now more of them can take part in the activities and excursions again. The individual holiday weeks in Weiskirchen and Jügesheim get off to a somewhat rainy start, but the creative team of supervisors is prepared for all weather conditions. The holiday games in Dudenhofen are dry.
The city parliament has approved the development plan for J 55 (Harzer Strasse and Hunsrückstrasse). Public participation is to take place soon. The development plan envisages up to 39 flats and an underground car park on 3700 square metres.
As in the previous year, Max Breitenbach is visiting the individual city districts with the "Rathaus vor Ort" format. He will be accompanied by Markus Ebel-Waldmann, Head of Public Utilities, and Peter Kämmerling and Gregor Fanroth, Heads of Department 2 (Urban Planning) and 5 (Public Safety and Order). Local people can contact the town hall managers with their ideas and suggestions and they will take care of their concerns and explain individual issues. Major topics include The building site on Schillerstraße, the parking situation in some streets and the urban redevelopment in Dudenhofen.
The urban redevelopment in Dudenhofen will then occupy the Rodgau town council more intensively from August. In May, the town council approved the preliminary draft for the reconstruction of the footpath and cycle path along the Rodau (including the secondary routes through Lutherpark and along Dudenhöfer Straße). The plan is to tarmac the existing gravel path on the west side of the Rodau and create a continuous foot and cycle path to Jügesheim. Residents are now voicing their opposition to this decision. Posters and banners have been put up along the gravel path at the properties. "STOP the new cycle path" or "Think about the future, save taxpayers' money" can be read there. "We are of course taking the concerns seriously," emphasises Max Breitenbach. A meeting with local residents should provide clarity.
August begins with an anniversary: 550 years of Kerb in Weiskirchen. For five days, people celebrate what was proclaimed in 1473. At that time, Philipp I, Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg, proclaimed: "We want to grant the people of Weiskirchen the privilege of serving their wine all year round." Until the Thirty Years' War, it was quite common for wine to be grown in the Rodgau communities. Beer was served 550 years later, but this did not detract from the good atmosphere.
The mood at Spedition Keller is not good. After almost 100 years, the haulage company has filed for insolvency. The haulage company has not commented on the reasons for this. The green lorries and semi-trailers with the yellow lettering will probably soon disappear from the streetscape. The site in Hegelstraße/Raiffeisenstraße will remain as a haulage location and will be managed by another company from September.
A bereavement shocks the local music scene. Raimund "Ray" Salg - guitarist of the Rodgau Monotones - dies unexpectedly. Salg's sudden death shocks companions from the band's immediate circle and the fan scene. The band is not yet sure how and whether the anniversary concert in September will take place. His unmistakable sound brought hits such as "Die Hesse komme", "Erwin" and "Ei gude wie". Together with his band colleagues, Raimund Salg helped to make Rodgau famous far beyond the borders of the Offenbach district and in German-speaking countries. For this achievement, Raimund Salg and the entire band were awarded the gold citizens' medal of the town of Rodgau in 2009. The citizens' medal bears the inscription "for special services" and testifies to the commitment to the community. Raimund Salg made a significant contribution to cultural life in Rodgau. The anniversary concert in Hanau in September will be an acclaimed, impressive commemoration of Raimund "Ray" Salg.
The cyber attack on the town of Rodgau is still an issue six months on. Although e-mail traffic and telephones are working again, there are still considerable hurdles to overcome in internal processes. These hurdles are reported on: ARD, ZDF, RTL and Sat1 repeatedly report on the hacker attack on Rodgau and link reports on current statistics and studies on the topic. A major "report München" report will be broadcast in October.
French student Cyrill Goldmann has experienced that friends help each other. As part of his studies, he had to complete an internship abroad. Unfortunately, he couldn't find anywhere. Fortunately, however, there is the Puiseaux/Nieder-Roden partnership association. Here, contact was made via Franz Dürsch from Rollwald and Goldmann was able to do an internship in the press office of the Rodgau city administration. He gained a lot of insight into working with writing and language. "I spoke a lot of German and learnt some vocabulary," says Cyrill Goldmann, promising to return soon. To finish his studies and also "to work in Germany and learn more about this country". [MORE INFORMATION ON THE PARTNERSHIP PAGE]
In addition to the analogue format for citizen information "Rathaus vor Ort", Max Breitenbach communicates the latest news from the administration, parliament or city events in the online video format "Stadtgeflüster" every fortnight. Suggestions for topics are also welcome. He is supported by David Kraft from the press office, who also maintains the city's social media channels. In two to three minutes, the head of the town hall summarises the most important topics, with links to the more detailed websites in the video description.
The town of Rodgau welcomes its new trainees. 36 new colleagues were welcomed in the Dudenhofen community centre by Head of Human Resources Jürgen Stemmler, Training Officer Constanze Blaha and Mayor Max Breitenbach. The trainees will work in administration and in the day care centres.
September begins with a title. A double one, to be precise. Philipp Kolb, a member of the Jügesheim model flying group, already won the title in autumn 2022 in the GPS Triangle Sport model gliding competition, and now he followed it up in Neresheim at the World Championships. The club celebrated this in style by honouring the World Championship hero and holding a barbecue.
The next World Cup heroes will be trained at FC Bayern Munich's Campus Training at SKG Jügesheim's Maingau-Energie-Stadion. "Five days of sunshine and perfect training facilities," says Carl Winkelmann, head of the FC Bayern coaching team, in praise of the conditions in Jügesheim. The 44 boys and girls taking part receive a jersey, shorts, socks and water bottles. And, of course, a reminder to train like the pros.
Here we go: the remodelling work on Schillerstrasse begins in September. A large information event for all interested parties will give the unofficial starting signal for the remodelling of the only east-west traffic axis in Weiskirchen. Citizens can ask their questions about the duration, diversions, costs and much more. Then the excavators roll in and tear up the road to remove the old pipes and lay the new ones. The city will provide information on the construction project, the construction phases and the construction progress on its website and social media channels. [MORE INFORMATION]
A new attraction opens in Rodgau: the Funpark in Weiskirchen. With 12 bowling lanes, 4 escape rooms, a phaser course and black light minigolf, Avior Entertainment GmbH offers families and young people in particular a destination for a day out.
Another excursion destination in Rodgau: the municipal libraries. With its new function as a reading card, the Rodgaucard offers a further feature for spending leisure time and living in the town. Now, in addition to collecting points and quick access to the bathing lake, you can also borrow books, films and other media - even online.
It was a topic of discussion for a long time, now it's here: The MEDZentrum in Rodgau. The medical centre in Kronberger Straße in Dudenhofen is fully occupied and the surgeries are already running at full speed. Mayor Max Breitenbach and head of the Agency for Economic Development and City Marketing handed over the keys to the building to Reiner Deubel, Managing Director of the project company Medzentrum GmbH Co. KG and Alexander Bechtler, spokesman for the Medzentrum network. The barrier-free building has 100 parking spaces and the photovoltaic system on the green roof supplies the electricity, 100% of which goes to the tenants in the medical centre.
The Catholic communities in Jügesheim and Dudenhofen have been touched by a bereavement. Father Johann Kotschner has passed away at the age of 84. He worked in the parishes of St Mary's and St Nicholas for 21 years, initially alongside Father Wendelin Meissner and then together with Father John Peter. Kotschner, who was born in Slovakia and later displaced, was committed to international understanding until the very end.
And the second major construction site begins. As part of the urban redevelopment programme, the first construction phase at Dalles in Dudenhofen will begin in September. The entire area around Ludwig-Erhard-Platz will be remodelled with a focus on improving the quality of life. Interested parties can find out more about the construction plans and construction phases on the website stadtumbau-rodgau.de or on the Rodgau city website. [MORE INFORMATION]
The town of Rodgau can count itself lucky. The staffing situation in the daycare centres is not as tense as in other municipalities. The town cites the fact that qualified staff have been employed for many years as the reason for this. First City Councillor Michael Schüßler thinks little of lateral entrants as a replacement for skilled staff. "We have never had more children in the facilities and we have never had more staff on duty," emphasises the Head of Social Affairs.
An award for KITA 15 in Hainhausen shows what this staff can achieve with the children. It has been awarded the title "sugar-free" by the working group for youth dental care in the city and district of Offenbach. The special feature is the sugar-free morning. At the beginning, the children are offered a balanced meal without any added sugar. This allows the children to familiarise themselves with a sugar-reduced diet at an early age, which in turn has a positive impact on their dental health. Brushing their teeth is also part of this. For three minutes according to the KAI rule (chewing surfaces, outer surfaces, inner surfaces. "Especially when you consider that many children have withdrawn from dental care due to the corona rules, we are of course very pleased that another daycare centre is taking such a consistent and fun approach to protecting their teeth," says Johannes Gnegel from the working group, praising the work of the daycare centre.
The 42nd children's festival organised by the town of Rodgau on Puiseauxplatz is a complete success. In bright sunshine, the children played, romped, slid, balanced, tried out and created various activities. From hands-on circus management to target shooting with the fire brigade, magic on the stage, tips from the police on how to ride a bike followed by a bike course, moulding porous concrete and much more, there was everything to make children's hearts beat faster. Parents had a little break and were able to enjoy sausages, waffles and something to drink with their children. Young and old alike visibly enjoyed the children's festival.
Sebastian Rode from Eintracht Frankfurt also had fun during his role reversal in Dudenhofen. He whistled the match between the Offenbach referee selection and the Frankfurt judicial authorities. With this change of perspective, Rode also wants to set an example and honour the work of the referees. "The most important things on the pitch are fair play and respect," says Rode.
The "Rodgau Open Industry Festival" is taking place for the second time. Five years after its première, 15 companies are advertising with the aim of appealing to young people in career orientation as well as skilled workers looking for a change. "These 15 companies have around 50 training places every year," says Bernhard Schanze, Head of the Agency for Economic Development. The festival takes place at the Stadtwerke site, where the companies provide information to interested parties. If there is even more interest, there will also be guided tours of the company. The whole event is framed by music and a party.
130! That's probably the number in October. Because 130 ideas for the redesign of Puiseauxplatz were collected by citizens in a charette process. The ideas included a water feature, a seating island with a sun sail and more greenery to provide shade and were discussed with the city planners from the administration. The planning office ROB GmbH from Darmstadt outlined the initial proposals. More information at ziz-nieder-roden.de.
Hesse is voting and so is Rodgau. The state election in Hesse also takes place in Rodgau. A total of 68.18% go to the polls and vote in line with the state trend.
Honour to whom honour is due. And Willibald Sahm deserves the honour. Due to his merit in founding the Guttempler community and supporting people with addiction problems for 50 years, the city council awarded Willibald Sahm the silver citizens' medal. "Alcohol is a problem in many social groups, we have to make it clear that it should not be a way of life," emphasised Jürgen Kaiser, head of the city council. Mayor Max Breitenbach added in his laudatory speech: "He wanted to use his own experience to help people who are going through a difficult time, are not being supported and are on the margins of society." The Silver Citizens' Medal has been awarded 16 times. The last time was in 2004.
The footpath and cycle path along the Rodau remains an interesting topic. In order to clarify and answer any confusion and unanswered questions, the town of Rodgau is inviting residents and property owners to an information event in the Dudenhofen community centre. "I don't want to make any false promises," says Mayor Max Breitenbach. "We cannot reverse the decision of the town council." During the event, visitors will be able to put their concerns and questions to the experts from the regulatory authority, town planning, road and sewer renovation in an open discussion. After the Q&A session, interested parties will have the opportunity to explore the details of the project in a gallery walk and ask further questions.
The cyberattack continues to occupy the town of Rodgau. In October, the ARD magazine programme "report München" shows the report "Cyberwar", which deals with virtual warfare, for example to paralyse critical infrastructure. The town of Rodgau serves as a current example. The film reveals that the attackers on the town of Rodgau were Russian hackers belonging to the "Black Basta" group. [QR CODE ON POST?]
The "Safe cycling on the road" campaign is complete and has a winner in Lucia Bischoff. The Geschwister-Scholl-Schule pupil presented her bike to the police five times and received feedback five times: Everything is in order. As a gift, Lucia received a basket full of goodies and a surprise from the RodgauCard. The campaign will definitely be continued.
RODGAU ART takes place for the 49th time at the end of October. This year, 81 artists are exhibiting their works in the Bürgerhaus Nieder-Roden. These range from paintings, sculptures, films and photographs to performances. Numerous visitors learn about the background to the individual exhibits during the guided tours with Head of Cultural Affairs Winno Sahm or help shape the artwork during the performance.
There will be a change on the first of November. The operating company for the Hopper is now called Via and replaces the previous shuttle company GHT Mobility. The change also means the installation of a new app. But that's not so bad, because the first journeys are free of charge due to the change of operator.
The current trouble spots in Europe and the Middle East also occupy Rodgau schools. Teachers offer pupils the opportunity to share their thoughts alongside their lessons. "Depending on the culture, different strands of information come together," says Barbara Streb, Headmistress of Heinrich Böll School. The teachers try to guide the young people well, sort through the flood of information and distinguish well-researched articles from fake news.
Last year with restrictions, this year as ever: lantern and Martinmas parades organised by daycare centres and church communities. The little runners swayed more or less confidently but happily through the streets with self-made lights. The adults accompanying them watched the youngsters with more or less textual assurance. At the end of most of the runs, there was something warm to drink and eat. Overall, the large number of parades was very welcome - as confirmed by the high number of participants.
The Agency for Culture, Sport and Volunteering has a new director. Kim Hartelt takes over from Martin Winter on 1 November. The Rodgau native completed a dual study programme in public administration with the City of Frankfurt and knows the local structures. She grew up in Jügesheim and now lives in Weiskirchen, where she has been involved in the carnival for many years. We wish her every success in her future endeavours!
Blumenau in Dudenhofen will be closed. The town has decided to partially restrict the use of this popular shortcut due to excessive traffic. The carriageway and the bridge are not designed for the high number of cars. Access to the composting plant and the Fischer and Noor companies is still guaranteed. However, before the checks start, road users will be informed of the change with flyers.
The future of TG Weiskirchen remains uncertain. In July, the gymnastics club filed for insolvency. Now the insolvency court has appointed an expert, who has written to the mayor to sound out options. "The club can no longer be saved," fears TG chairman Albert Ricker. The gymnastics club's imbalance is also occupying the magistrate and city administration. The factual and legal issues are very complex.
November may be autumn, but this year the fifth season also starts in Rodgau. The carnivalists begin punctually on 11 November at 11.11 a.m. with music and the procession onto the town hall square. After a short rhyming introduction, the carnival flags are hoisted to thunderous applause. The carnival season is now officially open and the jesters will have fun at the various sessions and events over the coming weeks until everyone celebrates the climax at the "Umzuch in Gießem" in February.
The new traffic routing at the Carl Orff and Georg Büchner schools is noticeably relieving the Nordring. Since the beginning of November, three bollards between the Georg Büchner School and the municipal sports hall have prevented the usual ring road traffic. After one week, the public order police have drawn a positive balance. The feared traffic chaos has not materialised. The police have not yet penalised anyone and have left it at explanations.
A new pipeline is to be built along the B 45 motorway. The "Spessart-Odenwald pipeline" (SPO) from terranets bw will affect around 4,000 property owners - including in Rodgau. What this project is about, how construction will proceed and many other questions will be clarified at an information evening in the SKG sports hall in Weiskirchen.
A major fire is keeping over 100 emergency services from Rodgau and the surrounding area on tenterhooks. A barn near Nieuwpoorter Straße 116 has caught fire. The fire brigade is called at 16:20. The narrow buildings make extinguishing the fire considerably more difficult. Thanks to the efforts of helpful passers-by, who clear flower pots and plants out of the way, the fire brigade is able to start fighting the fire. At around 3 a.m., according to city fire inspector Oliver Meyer: "Fire out!".
This year's Remembrance Day also takes place during the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Mayor Max Breitenbach and Pastor Lisa Großpersky address the longing for peace in their speeches. It is not only the war in Ukraine that is on people's minds, but also the attack on Israel by the terrorist organisation Hamas. To mark this occasion, the Ahmadyyia community in Rodgau, together with the Protestant and Catholic churches, is calling for a prayer for peace at Puiseauxplatz.
A special cultural play will be performed in mid-November: Tatort Büchner". Commissioned by the city of Rodgau, the play will impress visitors to the auditorium of the Georg Büchner School on two evenings. In this unusual theatre project, biographical data, quotes from letters and texts from the plays form many individual fragments, which ultimately develop into a large overall picture. The audience then decide for themselves which overall picture they recognise from the mosaic.
A total of four information pillars now provide information to citizens in the city's neighbourhoods. The city administration has purchased them in order to be able to communicate municipal services, city events and current topics in an even more optimised way. The steles are located at the Weiskirchen community centre, in Jügesheim at Rathausplatz and the town hall and in Nieder-Roden at Puiseauxplatz.
Local retail goes online. With a new function on the Ebay sales platform, Rodgau businesses are now also visible on the online marketplace. 50 companies can now be found on "Rodgau on Ebay".
There is also a lot to find in the city's lost property office. Daniela Poth from the Department of Public Safety and Order keeps track of lost property - up to 250 items per year. These include the classics, such as keys, scarves, mobile phones and wallets. But 11,000 euros and an urn have also been handed in to the lost property office at Hans-Böckler-Straße 1. [Make picture]
The Offenbach district would like to build two additional schools in Rodgau. A primary school in Weiskirchen and a co-operative comprehensive school in Dudenhofen. The first step has now been taken. The town council will decide on the necessary development plans. The primary school is to be built to the west of Weiskirchen on Bahnhofstrasse/Häuser Strasse. The middle school behind the Claus-von-Stauffenberg school.
The team at the town archives has solved the mystery surrounding a memorial stone in the old Nieder-Roden cemetery. The 16 letters and one number had been a mystery for decades. Now Jutta Zimmerer, Wolfgang Sterneck and Nicole Smidt, with the help of the local history working group, have been able to shed light on the mystery: "In memory of Wilfried Tallner, born 1922 - died 1942, Wilhelm Tallner, Brünn - Nieder-Roden, born 1877 - died 1949".
Annemarie Jonas from Weiskirchen is honoured with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Minister for Europe Lucia Puttrich honoured Jonas for the integration of refugees and her commitment to society. "You have made it your life's work to give people hope in their new homeland," said Minister Puttrich. The Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the highest honour awarded in Germany.
Mayor Max Breitenbach presents the 2024 budget. Despite difficult times, the city administration is expected to avoid being in the red. The bottom line is a small surplus of 122,477 euros. "This is mainly thanks to another very positive trade tax development," Max Breitenbach explains at the town council meeting. There is not much room for manoeuvre to absorb further challenges. In addition to energy prices, this is also due to inflation. Dealing with the cyber attack is also leaving its mark. It cost 700,000 euros to deal with the attack and "to ensure that the computer systems remain secure, additional costs of 500,000 euros must be expected," Max Breitenbach informs us.
Good news for Rodgau's clubs: The new guidelines for subsidising clubs are beneficial for the clubs. The city's grants are more generous than before, as there is no longer a distinction between active and passive members. Many suggestions from the club world were also incorporated into the updated funding guidelines.
The Dudenhof breeders are successful at the national show of pedigree pigeon breeders in Leipzig. Reinhold Reis, Thomas Reis and Manfred Kratz win national championship titles with their breedings.
The country lane between Bruchgraben and Mainzer Straße can now also be used safely at night. A total of 19 lights provide convenient lighting and cycle path safety. The special feature: No power cables had to be laid. The electricity for the path lighting is generated by the sun, which each lantern captures via solar modules, stores in a battery and releases at night.
Erich Seib from Germania Dudenhofen 1885 and Wolfgang Hein from the Gamsbock Nieder-Roden Rollwald shooting club receive state letters of honour from District Administrator Oliver Quilling for their decades of voluntary work.
The World Darts Championships at London's Ally Pally are one of the sporting highlights between the years. Once again taking part: Martin Schindler from Rodgau. He enters the 3rd round with all the German representatives, but fails against Scott Williams and misses out on a place in the last 16.
Finally, some good news: Felix Klein and his family would like to travel to Ukraine for a wedding on New Year's Day. The passport is also ready - but unfortunately the citizen service is closed between the years and on the Friday before Christmas Eve Felix Klein is ill. What now? The identity documents are under lock and key. Fortunately, some helpful employees of the city administration are able to help and Felix Klein can travel to Ukraine after all. Felix Klein is happy: "Everyone was super-friendly and made a real effort - respect!"
