Actually .... everything was planned differently: already in December the Scholmwehr bridge should shine again in new splendor and the detour between Kurpark and Kurviertel should be history. Since the beginning of September, the bridge piers of the weir bridge have been standing 'naked'. But ... as is often the case, delays must always be expected during construction and renovation.

Let's start with a short review: after long preparations - two parties were responsible for the weir bridge, the real estate owner of the Königshütte, the ‘Königshütte Industriedenkmal UG’, and the city of Bad Lauterberg - it is responsible for the planking of the crossing and its maintenance - funding had been applied for. (Through the LEADER funding program, there projects are funded that are intended to maintain the quality of life in rural areas, strengthen the togetherness and ensure the future viability .... the LEADER program is financed by the EAFRD, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development). To this end, Christian Mühl, the deputy chairman of our development association, had presented the project 'Restauration of the Scholmwehr Bridge' on September 19, 2019 in the ‘Kurhaus’ in Wieda by means of a lecture and PowerPoint presentation to the responsible ladies and gentlemen. It was about € 160 000, which should be provided. Already in the evening the verbal promise came that the project had been approved. For the co-financing, i.e. the share of the city of Bad Lauterberg (see above) - approx. 40,000 € - the notice of approval came on October 30, 2019. It still took almost a year until the final go-ahead was given for the restauration in line with the preservation order. This restauration in line with monument protection was a prerequisite, because the Königshütte ensemble - it includes the Scholmwehr Bridge - has been a listed building since 1986. On September 1 of last year, despite the restrictions imposed by the Corona pandemic that had been raging since the spring, there was a small celebration to mark the start of the restauration work. In the first week of September, the first works followed, because a lot had to be done in advance: trout lived in the dam area of the weir, they had to be relocated for the duration of the restauration, the water was drained, but in such a way that sufficient water continues to flow to the Königshütte. - There, with the help of two turbines, electricity is produced for own use, but a part is also fed into the public grid. - The lamps were dismantled, as were the planks. On September 10, the first bridge sections were dismantled. In October, the concrete piers were ground flat, and since November, the bridge parts have been lying in halls in Barbis of the Kälz company from Bad Sachsa and are being prepared: Rust removal by means of sandblasting, (this also includes the replacement of parts that had been attacked too much by rust), riveting of the bridge parts (as was customary at the time of the bridge's construction in 1905) - due to delivery problems there has been a delay - and painting.

The reopening of the Scholmwehr Bridge is now planned for the end of January. We are looking forward to the then newly shining Scholmwehr Bridge, and that the end of the restrictions due to the detour is in sight.

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