Signing away a sports field

One of the remaining hurdles in selling the sports field known as the “Altkönigsportplatz” was removed last week when the sports club that had originally set it up signed a contract with the town to relinquish their right to use it in exchange for other benefits.

The TSGO (Turn- und Sportgemeinde 1861 e.V. Oberursel) had been using the field since 23rd July, 1933, when it was official opened by the then so-called “Jahngemeinschaft”.  They had purchased the land in 1927, although it was not as large as the field is now.

In 1953 the sports field was expanded and a deal was struck with the town by which the TSGO land became the town’s property in return usage rights.

Now 19,582m² of that land is about to be sold off to fund the new swimming pool and the sports field will be replaced with 21 houses and 4 town “villas”, each with 5 flats in them.  A further 582m² will remain to form a green belt between the houses and the Werksgraben – the channel of water that once powered the town’s mills.

In return for giving up their rights to use the field, the TSGO will receive the following in exchange:

1. Training times in the sports halls and on other sports grounds in the town

2. A contract securing 80 years of usage rights for 4 tennis courts near Weißkirchen for which an access road and car park will be built

3. The option of a suitable piece of land around 2,000m² in size to build their own sports facility on in future.

At the signing ceremony Carsten Trumpp, chairman of the TSGO, pointed out that the club had not been using the field so much and that they also had an interest in swimming pool being built so that they could offer swimming courses.  The facilities at the field were not up to modern standards and the club did not currently have a football team to use it anyway.

Mayor Hans-Georg Brum commented that the sports field was the most expensive one in the town to maintain, whilst at the same time being the least used.  He also thanked the TSGO for the constructive talks in resolving the situation.

Now a new “Bebauungsplan” will be drawn up for the field for the town council to approve.