The population of the eastern Pinzgau community has been stagnating for years, is less than 3,000. Local boss Gassner wants to invest and jump the magic mark. A retirement home and a kindergarten play a central role.
Unlike many Pinzgau communities, Taxenbach is not one of the major tourism centers. The Kitzlochklamm attracts around 50,000 visitors every year. But that was it with the highlights. From a financial point of view, it is not at all a matter of course that all 70 goods routes in the place, which is divided into 14 hamlets and scattered, are kept in good condition. But it is precisely the service level for its residents that local manager Johann Gassner wants to uphold. Actually he has to. Various forecasts predict a population decline in Taxenbach, probably also because of the exposed location. “But I don’t think so,” says the village manager combatively. “We want to turn the tide, first the 2800 mark, and eventually the 3000 mark.” This is to be achieved with ambitious infrastructure projects, starting with the senior citizens’ home. This is currently “parked” in Rauris. The move to the building in Taxenbach, which is currently being renovated, is scheduled for March 2023. The residential unit capacity will be increased from 23 to 36 during the renovation at a cost of 7.5 million euros. In addition, day care is being set up, in which three neighbors from Unterpinzgau, Rauris, Lend and Dienten, are involved, as is the case with the senior citizens’ home. But that’s not all: in the district of Högmoos there are plenty of building reserves. Because 70 residential units have been built in the past seven years alone, there is also a separate elementary school there. It is to be cleaned up in 2023 and a kindergarten added. “Our infrastructure is good,” Gassner is certain. “And we have an advantage; We still have building land for 250 euros per square meter!”
source site-12