Yes to the trail, but not like this: there are signature lists in the parish office, parish church and Höttinger Bild
It’s about working together, making compromises and finding the most sensible solution for everyone involved. A citizens’ initiative led by Norbert Ried and Gabi Berchtold has taken further steps for the future of the Hofwald single trail. Motto: “Yes to the trail, but not like this.”
INNSBRUCK. The planned Hofwald single trail has kept the Innsbruck political scene busy for the past few days. Now an initiative around Norbert Ried and Gabi Berchtold has spoken. “The expansion of the range of trails in the city of Innsbruck is not up for discussion. However, the choice of route for the Hofwald Trail is questionable and must also be questioned in terms of safety and traffic and can therefore not be accepted,” the initiators told the Bezirksblatt Innsbruck editors .
Special meaning of the way
In addition to the numerous political voices, Peter Jungmann, chairman of the Bischof-Stecher-Gedächtnisverein, also emphasized the special importance of the path from the Planötzenhof to the Höttinger Bild with its Stations of the Cross and text steles.
“We advocate laying out the trail in such a way that conflicts are avoided and mountain bikers can pursue their hobby unhindered. If it has to be, we are asked to stop the construction of the downhill track until a new solution that will soon be satisfactory for everyone is found. The path from the Planötzenhof to the Höttinger Bild with its Stations of the Cross and text steles was and is a path of reflection, and it should remain so,” explained Jungmann a few days ago.
signature campaign
An opinion that is also shared by the parish of Hötting. After extensive discussion, the parish gave a negative opinion on the trial operation and existing trail management. Building on this sub-page was die Hötting with the consent of the parish Citizens’ initiative “YES to the trail, but not like this” started, which set the first accents with a signature campaign. The signature lists are available in the parish office, in the parish church and on the Höttinger picture. Ried and Berchtold emphasize that the trail with a changed route would have no points of contact with the reflection path further west and that a politically required cooperation between trail users and hikers is possible.
The local inspection at the Hofwaldtrail, BezirksBlätter Innsbruck article
Alternate route
Norbert Ried recalled that Mayor Georg Willi had promised during the on-site inspection that he would “do everything possible and consider a different route.” In doing so, Willi also referred to the ownership structure of the federal forests and the political responsibility of Vizebgm. Anzengruber referenced.
“Regardless of the fact that it is a matter of course to comply with the legal framework, the question of the trail route must not degenerate into a political issue,” Ried and Berchtold say in unison. “The Reflection Path and the Hofwaldtrail are two important projects for the people of Innsbruck, but there is no place for the personal sensitivities of the people involved or for party-political bickering.”
improvement desired
“The path of reflection should continue to be available to the population as it has been known for centuries,” explains Norbert Ried and adds: “Perhaps with an improvement in terms of the individual care of various Stations of the Cross and text steles.” Whether pilgrims or simple walkers, whether procession or those seeking peace and quiet, the reflection path has an important meaning for many people, this meaning must be recognized by municipal politics, explains Gabi Berchtold.
New trail guidance
With a modified trail, bikers can also pursue their hobby. With the new planned trail route over the Stangensteig and the Buchtal, the advantage for the bikers is that they don’t have to “get off” the route in the meantime and ride down on the public road and “get on” again on the second part at the Besinnungsweg, but instead have to has a continuous trail to Sadrach. The initiators of the citizens’ initiative are certain that a crossroads or meeting point would be an additional advantage and incentive for the bike community if the route were realigned. For the citizens’ initiative, the motto is clear:
“We are starting a wake-up call with the list of signatures in order to make a decision on politics quickly and, above all, in the mutual interest of hikers and bikers. Therefore, yes to the trail, but not like that.”
overruled
The political dimension of the Single Valley is also reflected in the question of competence about the decisions. Vice Mayor Johannes Anzengruber (he is currently on vacation with his family) is responsible for the construction as the department head. After an on-site inspection, he ordered construction to stop and invited the responsible offices to a meeting. “Together with the specialist department and the trail builder, as well as the Austrian Federal Forests as the property owner, we have come to the conclusion that the Bischof Stecher-Besinnungsweg is now completely free and that the middle section of the trail is to be relocated in the direction of the Buchtal,” explains Anzengruber. Section two of the trail will be completed in the next few weeks and will be usable by the end of summer. For the Höttinger Bild area, Anzengruber emphasizes that a construction freeze or dismantling was ordered. I have done my job and agreed on how to proceed with my team from the Office for Forest and Nature and the trail builder, including coordination with the property owner ÖBF. Subsequently, Mayor Willi clearly overruled me and ignored my decision.” Mayor Willi states in a broadcast: “I welcome the resumption of construction work on the Hofwaldtrail. This new trail is a big step towards making the mountain bike offer in Innsbruck more attractive due to legal liability issues for the city of Innsbruck.
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