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From a former grocery store and vacancy, the “Hartrium – life in the village” in Hartkirchen there is a community center for young and old. There is a small village shop with groceries and handicrafts from the region, a café corner, a book lounge and toy library (game collection), a gallery for local artists, a seminar room and a vintage shop. A film is shown once a month, the seniors meet every Friday for an afternoon of games, and there are handicraft workshops for children. Yoga is offered as well as a spinning course, free singing, lectures and much more.
After the first three months, Gudrun Neuhuber, one of the initiators, draws an initial positive balance. “It’s going well, the diversity is what makes us different, different population and age groups should be able to come together here”says Neuhuber. “It was also important to us to counteract loneliness.”
In the Hartrium, everyone is on first name terms, the furnishings are designed in such a way that you almost have to sit down together, for example at three large oval tables or on the couch in the reading lounge. “We want to break down inhibitions”says Neuhuber.
That became possible “hardtrium” through start-up financing from Sparkasse Eferding-Peuerbach-Waizenkirchen and LEADER funding. Ongoing operations are financed by voluntary donations from in-house events and user fees from organizers who offer courses in the Hartrium. In addition, 15 percent of the income from the shop and the gallery goes to the association, which currently has around 70 members. Around 20 people are actively involved in the association.
The concept even aroused interest beyond the borders. An Erasmus delegation with representatives from several EU countries has already visited Hartkirchen.
The Hartrium is open four times a week – Thursday and Friday afternoons and Saturday and Sunday mornings.
- The opening ceremony takes place on Friday April 14th from 10 a.m. with a ceremony, from 2 p.m. there is a children’s program, at 4 p.m. there is a fashion show on the program, in the evening the band will play “oblique log”.
Source: Nachrichten
