Aalbude ferry saved: New EU funding in sight for Demmin!

Aalbude ferry saved: New EU funding in sight for Demmin!

There is reason to be happy in the Demmin region: the important ferry at the Aalbude has been saved! With this good news, planning begins for the funding year 2026, in which numerous exciting projects were presented. Among other things, the roofing of the terrace of the Demmin dog sports club and the redesign of a beach volleyball court are on the agenda. The Local Action Group (LAG) “Demminer Land” has already given the submitted proposals the highest rating. This is reported by Nordkurier.

A real highlight among the planned projects is the replacement of the old ferry with a new solar ferry with an electric motor. The Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Transport Company (MVVG) has submitted a project application for this purpose, which is to be funded with 100,000 euros. With total costs of around 230,000 euros, MVVG is prepared to cover the difference from its own funds. An urgently needed project, because the ferry connection between Aalbude and Verchen saves both residents and tourists a 23 km detour and is of great importance for bicycle tourism on Lake Kummerow.

EU funding in focus

But while the Demmin region is happy about these positive developments, there is also the question of who will ultimately be able to win the EU funding. This year, participation in project applications was rather low, which may be due to the high co-financing requirements. Since the LEADER program came into force in 1995, the Mecklenburg Lake District has benefited from these funds to promote rural projects. LEADER, the acronym for “Liaison Entre Actions de Développement de l’Économie Rurale”, represents a link between different actions for the development of the rural economy and has established itself as an important instrument.

The LEADER program provides 14% of the EU's total funds for rural development, well above the required minimum of 5%. Given the major challenges facing rural regions, this approach could be particularly important now. According to a new study by the European Commission on EU funding, between 2014 and 2021, €8.6 billion was spent on rural development outside of agriculture. In the coming CAP period, 18.3 billion euros are earmarked to better cover regional needs, as the EU CAP Network shows.

Variety of projects in sight

In addition to the ferry and the dog sports club, other local projects were also evaluated. The municipality of Sarow is applying for 79,000 euros for a playground and meeting place, while the hospice association has requested funding for the outdoor facilities at the future new hospice building in Demmin. The municipality of Meesiger also has plans to receive support for shower containers at the campsite in Gravelotte.

Particularly noteworthy is the application from Karola Stenschke's “Stadt.Land.Bühne”, which is causing a stir in the “Education and Culture” area of ​​action. In the current funding period, only one application from this area was successful, which underlines how diverse the priorities are in the region.

It remains to be seen what the final funding commitments will be. But one thing is certain: the Demmin region has definitely shown a good hand with its projects and shows how important support from funding is for innovative and sustainable developments in rural areas.