Friday 25 November 2011 Page 9
Local News
Four arduous years are in store for the inhabitants of Saanen, especially for those who live in the village centre. Proponents say that if they are able to stick it out, they will be rewarded in the end. They say the village is to become a special jewel, car-free and comfortable, as is only still possible in few places in the world. In the beginning of August, Heinz Brand, municipal council member, informed the public of the multiple planned construction projects that are to be realized by 2014. During the next few years, 17 private buildings will be built in addition to the two public building construction sites, Bircherhaus and the Alterszentrum (centre for the elderly). This number includes a youth hostel with 160 beds, the Hotel Spitzhorn with 100 beds, the Flüeli development and the Hotel La Gare with 25 beds. Added to that are the infrastructure projects, car park, train station, playground, groundwater well, and weir, Rübeldorf stream bed reconstruction and the village centre transformation project Sanona. Saanen village car park The Gemeinde plans to build a public car park, a project, which is to be integrated into the “von Grünigen Matte” development that was approved by the cantonal authorities in August and which was publicized on September 13, 2011. The “von Grünigen Matte” development is the product of VGM Invest AG and is a project to build 15 buildings containing 80 apartments and numerous commercial spaces on the field at the east entrance to the village by the hospital roundabout. The legal basis for the car park (also known as the “Flüeli” development) has also been established; taxpayers will pay for the public part of the car park. “The Gemeinde is creator as well as customer,” Brand said. The car park
Illustration: zvg
Big construction years ahead for Saanen
The illustration shows how the future of the village square in Saanen might look like. The entrance to the car park is visible behind the tree. is to increase the total number of parking spaces available in the village of Saanen (in total there will be 108 parking spaces available), and it will offer a centrally located direct access to the village centre. The village is to become yet again a lively and attractive location for shopping. The entrance to the car park will be next to the hospital roundabout and the pedestrian exit will lead directly into the Molkerei Square. Bright and friendly, the car park will have a drive-through height of 2.55 meters and parking space widths of 2.6 meters, to make parking as convenient as possible. The Gemeinde will not sell any parking spaces. The pedestrian access way will be next to Drogerie Jaggi. The project is to be completed in three stages. The first phase is to begin this fall at the Molkerei square, the second in spring 2012. The third phase, the construction of the public parking garage, is planned for fall to December 2012. “The access to the construction site will be guaranteed from both east and west,” Brand said. An access road solely from the east would extend the construction period and add significant costs.The local conditions of the underground car
park add some special challenges. Because the water table of the Von Grünigen field is so high, additional anchoring of the car park as well as weight for buoyancy control will be needed. A ground water seal and submerged installations are necessary and bring additional costs. During the entire construction phase, uninterrupted access to Chalet Santé must be guaranteed. Brand is convinced that the car park will boost the attractiveness of Saanen and add value to the area. He says it is long-term investment that has become urgently needed as a result of the bypass road and tunnel opening in August 2010 and the nowlaunched Sanona project. If all goes as planned (permissions, funding, planning), Brand hopes that the car park will be functional by summer/ fall 2013. Village design project Sanona With the underground car park, the village design project Sanona goes into motion. The Sanona project was the result of a design competition in 2000 to beautify the village centre, and Arthur Reuteler, municipal council member, was charged with informing the public about it. Now freed from through traffic, the vil-
lage will be redesigned. Natural stone slabs and continuous natural stone paving, tree and shrub planting groups in the centre, and unobtrusive lighting along the lines of Gstaad will beautify the village and create a gathering zone that will provide a better backdrop for the old houses. In fall 2011, the project will be ready and will be presented to the municipal assembly in December. Cantonal and local building permissions can be expected in summer 2012. The work is planned for spring 2013. On the topic of bollards in the village centre, Reuteler emphasized their importance. "The bollards will only be brought down for extraordinary reasons such as for emergencies, special transportation, or in the event that the tunnel were to be blocked." Bircher House In 2002, the municipal assembly voted to purchase the Bircher House in the historic village of Saanen. Initially, the building was to be demolished in connection with the village development plans, specifically with the Sanona project. But according to the ISOS (Federal Inventory of Protected Local Scenes in Switzerland), it must remain. In 2010, the municipal council began a design competition. On April 5, 2011, the council made a fundamental decision: Bircher House will be a rebuild, reusing some of the meaningful old parts, and taking into account financial aspects. The building typology is to be preserved to a great extent. The preliminary project is now complete and the next steps were to have taken place in fall 2011. Funding for the project is to be approved at a December Gemeinde meeting. Construction could begin as early as 2012 and end by 2012/13. TRANSLATED AND ADAPTED FROM THE ARTICLE BY CHRISTINE EISENBEIS AVS 9.8.2011