News
Sep 7, 2011
A monument for the OPAL
Heideblick. A unique monument is the new landmark of Waltersdorf: since the beginning of September, a pipe section from the natural gas pipeline OPAL has graced the entrance to this municipality south of Berlin. The monument project was initiated by the mayor, Dietmar Becker. “I was able to watch the construction work on the OPAL pipeline route every day from my terrace,” recounts the retired principal of the high school in Luckau. “And whenever my youngest grandchild, a six-year-old boy, came visiting, he wanted to go to the construction site and look at the big machines.” In spring though, to the grandson’s great disappointment, not only had the construction site disappeared, but so had the gigantic pipeline pipe. “The little one couldn’t believe it,” says Becker. However, the mayor of Waltersdorf knew how he could make his grandson happy: during the construction work, he had met Claudio Tiano, site manager from the company Bonatti, which built the OPAL pipeline in southern Brandenburg on behalf of WINGAS and E.ON Ruhrgas. He was able to help. Just a few weeks later, the municipality of Waltersdorf came into possession of a 1.5-meter section of pipeline pipe. The workers positioned it right in front of Becker’s house, at the entrance to Waltersdorf. From here, it is possible to reach Luckau via a cycle track, which is appreciated not only by the locals, but also by numerous tourists. The local construction yard was commissioned to make a small display board and the WINGAS press center donated an information panel, which explains the dimensions and significance of the OPAL project in detail. The inauguration of the new OPAL monument was then celebrated in the presence of the deputy district administrator, the mayors of the surrounding communities and numerous Waltersdorf residents. Another person who made sure not to miss the unveiling of this landmark, was Gerald Lehmann, mayor of the town Luckau. He says that the OPAL construction work in his region “went very pleasantly for everyone.” According to Lehmann, the project’s high level of acceptance in the region is primarily due to the good cooperation with the WINGAS Group: “A company that keeps all its promises and communicates with the affected citizens and communities openly is always welcome in the region.”
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