Bathers already knew it, but its christening was still a long way off. On the Esplanade in Altmünster, the mobile lake stage has been used as an additional place to lie down in recent weeks – and the places were usually taken up quite quickly. Since Tuesday evening, it has not only been officially opened, but also has a name: “Maria Theresia”.
A name that residents and tourists will be familiar with, and not only from the House of Habsburg: Until a few years ago, the ship “Maria Theresia”, owned by Karlheinz Eder, sailed across Lake Traunsee. It was sold in 2019 and is now floating on Lake Geiseltal near Leipzig.
However, the lake stage was named after the Archduchess of Austria for another reason: because she was considered the “mother of the country” and guaranteed the cohesion of the peoples. And the lake stage is also a regional project that transcends municipal boundaries.
Gmunden, Altmünster and Traunkirchen are allowed to use them equally – and have already used some of them: Gmunden for the ship landing festival in July, Traunkirchen for the fairy tale festival at the beginning of August. And to speed up the preparatory work before the first ORF summer talk.
Cost: 200,000 euros
Around 200,000 euros were invested in the stage, which measures seven by 14 meters. 60 percent of the total costs were covered by funding from the Leader Traunstein region, and 40 percent was shared between the municipalities based on their population numbers. In addition, the necessary compensatory areas had to be created. The Traunsee-Almtal tourism associations are responsible for coordinating the dates for all kinds of cultural events.
For non-profit associations and other charitable organizations in the lakeside communities, the stage can usually be rented free of charge. The rental to other organizers should at least cover costs and is currently set at 300 euros. “We do not want to rule out the possibility that Ebensee could also use the stage,” said Bettina Zopf, chairwoman of the Leader Traunstein region at the opening. However, the community on the south bank belongs to another Leader region (European Union initiative to strengthen rural regions) and was therefore not involved in the implementation.
Deputy Governor Christine Haberlander (VP) acted as godmother of the new lake stage on Tuesday evening. The mobile lake stage is “a prime example” of how “culture can act as a unifying force,” she said. And: “My sponsorships are selected. I only take on something that I am convinced of.”
The home port of the lake stage is still in Altmünster. No major events are planned there this year.
Source: Nachrichten
