For many years, one of its problems had been that the pool was either open as an indoor pool (Hallenbad) or an outdoor one (Freibad), but as far as I know not as both at the same time.  This meant that if there was a bad summer, the ticket receipts could be severely affected.

Oberursel's old swimming pool building, closed since September 2008

But it was with the closure of the indoor pool in September 2008 that the real problems started.  After the collapse of the roof of a public ice rink in southern Germany, many towns commissioned studies of their public buildings to ensure that they did not suffer the same fate during the winter months, which appeared to be receiving more snow from year to year.

Oberursel’s roof was deemed too unsafe for public swimming, and the indoor pool has not been open since.

The building itself is still there and still standing (three winters later), but only because it also houses the heating equipment for the outdoor pool.

The closure has had an effect on local clubs who offered swimming, diving and life-saving courses in the pool, as well as on local schools and kindergartens who all have had to go elsewhere in the area.  This has resulted in additional travel time and cost for them and at the same time a loss of revenue for the town and local businesses that relied on the swimmers’ trade.

The sale of a nearby sports field to finance the building of a new swimming pool was a hotly discussed topic at the recent local elections, and due to their result this sale is no longer on the cards, although some other land will probably be sold off instead.

So it was an interesting evening at the end of June when interested residents were invited to take a tour of the grounds and to find out the current state of the planning process.

The area that the new building will stand on was marked out with helium-filled balloons showing the corners and the intended height of the building.  We were taken around the perimeter to see where the new car park would go and how the fencing would work.  There were sketches of the layout of the pools and of the new building itself.

Touring the swimming pool site, the red balloon marks one corner of the new building

Critically, the new concept will operate both indoor and outdoor pools during the summer months and modern heating methods should be make it cheaper to run.  Many of those who live relatively close to the site had some questions about the noise levels, but these will probably be even lower than they are currently.  Others were just happy to see that something is finally taking place and if everything goes according to plan the building work should begin in spring 2012.

But what made the evening particularly unique was the whole idea of presenting the plans for the new complex to the public in this way, something that has apparently not happened before in the town.  By taking people around the site and placing the balloons at the corners of the new building so that they can see exactly where it will be, I am sure that many of the doubts they may have had will now be cast aside and the success of the project will depend only on how it is financed.

Planning office Arnold Richter and Mayor Hans-Georg Brum explain the plans for the new swimming pool

As one local resident put it: “where else do you see the town planning officer and the mayor present the plans for a new building by climbing up onto a ping-pong table?”

Some other posts on this topic that you might like to read:

• Violence in the Taunus area
• Oberursel’s shiny new (restored) station building
• Preparing for the coming winter

Yes, the goal that took England 3-2 up against West Germany in extra time of the World Cup final at Wembley in 1966 thanks to a decision by a Russian linesman that most German football supporters have been disputing ever since.

One lesser known fact about that match is that Helmut Haller who scored the first goal for Germany kept the ball, as is the tradition here, rather than Geoff Hurst, who scored a hat-trick and by English tradition should have been allowed to keep it.  Haller returned the ball 30 years later.

But once you get past discussing whether it was a goal or not, the self-proclaimed German football experts like to remind you how often England have gone on to lose against their team, especially the last match at the old Wembley stadium and World Cup qualifier in 2000.

So it’s worth reminding them that in the return match in Munich in 2001 England beat them 5-1 – one of the worst ever defeats for the German national team – at which point the subject is usually quickly changed.

The strange thing is that the Germans actually like playing against the English side.  They even look forward to it, and call it one of the “classic” international games.

This week England and Germany were both playing to qualify for the second round of the World Cup in South Africa.  I was in Cologne and able to observe how many German fans were supporting England during their match.  They wanted them to get through to the next round.  They wanted to play them next.

There is, of course, no doubt about which team they will be supporting tomorrow evening, although I have heard the opinion expressed that they would rather lose to England now than to Argentina in the quarter final (with the added bonus of seeing another “classic”: England v Argentina).

I on the other hand will hopefully be cheering at the opposite moments to the rest of our building, and looking forward to further discussions and analysis with my clients in the coming week, however the game turns out.

When I was asked this week for my prediction, I always gave a diplomatic answer: “It’ll go to penalties”.

Some other posts on this topic that you might like to read:

• Whitsun football tournament co-incides with the Hessentag
• Truly German – Episode 04 – 18th September 2009
• Fanmeile

I suspect even less know where the sport originates from.

Whilst the original design may go back to wooden crates used for transporting soap, the modern designs are either more ambitious or extravagant.

Some resemble racing cars, others old-timers.  But what makes the races particularly interesting is not just the speeds at which they travel, but the unusual ones.  One good example of this would be the “sofa on wheels” that took part in the races here this year.

The length of the course is strictly governed, as are the weight and ages of those taking part.  But even the start ramp has a specification to make the races across Germany as equal as possible.  And yes, there is even a national championship.

Seifenkistenrennen in Oberursel

What makes the race in Oberursel special is that the town lays claim to the origins of the sport.  The story goes that the first race was held in the Ackergasse, by children who built their cars having been inspired by the racing cars and their drivers taking part in the Gordon Bennett Cup that was held in the area in 1904.

There is even an exhibition about it in the town’s muesum.

Some other posts on this topic that you might like to read:

• Violence in the Taunus area
• Oberursel’s shiny new (restored) station building
• Preparing for the coming winter

Juniors

The answer, of course, is to either get out early or to stay and watch the race – and the drivers arguing with the police that they need to go somewhere.

U23

My daughter and I opted for the 2nd option this year.  To find out more, listen to the podcast:

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Some other posts on this topic that you might like to read:

• Violence in the Taunus area
• Oberursel’s shiny new (restored) station building
• Preparing for the coming winter

The U23 race passes Camp King
(click to enlarge)

Some other posts that our readers enjoy:

• Listening by phone
• Introducing the “Schultüte”
• Starting school