Construction of the Leinewelle begins in June

Working Together for Species Conservation and a Joyful Life

Surfers and anglers settled their dispute over the construction of the Leinewelle below the state parliament building in April; now the motto is “Together for Species Conservation and Joy of Life!” Consequently, representatives from Leinewelle e.V. and the Hannover Fishing Association also met at the fishing site. “It is our shared wish that surfing has no negative impact on biodiversity in the water,” said Sebastian Stern, vice president of Leinewelle e.V. “We’ve put a lot of effort into developing the concept to ensure this. When the Leinewelle opens in Hannover next year, we’ll see that recreational use of the Leine does not conflict with nature.” Heinz Pyka, chairman of the board of the Hannover Fishing Association, also emphasizes the collaborative approach: “The fishing survey documents the great biodiversity found in this inner-city stretch of the river. Both surfers and anglers depend on clean water. Our shared task must be to protect and improve the habitat beneath the water’s surface—so that in the future we can watch surfers riding the wave and anglers catching healthy fish from an intact river.”

Construction begins in June

According to Leinewelle e.V., the groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for June 25, with Regional President Hauke Jagau and Mayor Belit Onay in attendance. Due to current price trends in the construction sector, construction costs have risen by just under 200,000 euros to approximately 1.4 million euros (gross) instead of the previously estimated 1.2 million euros. To finance the cost increase, Leinewelle e.V. has launched a fundraising campaign on betterplace.org to collect donations from fans, supporters, and the surfing community. In a short time, 20 percent of the increase in construction costs was raised through the fundraising page by 490 donors from the surfing community. Additional sponsors and partners are still being sought. Heiko Heybey, chairman of Leinewelle e.V., is optimistic: “There are many people in Hanover who appreciate the value of the Leinewelle—including its contribution to the city’s quality of life. We are confident that enough people are willing to become part of the project by making a donation, whether large or small.”

More about the Leinewelle

© Leinewelle e.V. (source)

Surf project

Leinewelle: Plans revised

Almost exactly one year after the initiators presented the project of a standing surf wave directly in front of the Lower Saxony state parliament to the public, the...

read