The development of the new Erbenheim Süd residential area is creating an additional need for childcare spots that cannot be met by the existing daycare centers in the district. For this reason, a five-group daycare center is to be built. 

The new facility is also a key component of the city’s 48/90 expansion program, which aims to increase the childcare coverage rate to 48 percent for children under three years of age and to 90 percent for children aged three through school entry. These targets have not yet been achieved. 

Dr. Patricia Becher, Head of Social Affairs, says: “Erbenheim is growing—and as the neighborhood grows, so does the need for quality child care. With the new five-group daycare center, we are creating urgently needed spots and improving child care options for local families. This is an important step toward meeting our goal of providing childcare that is tailored to local needs and located close to home. I am particularly pleased that, through joint planning with the fire station, we can leverage synergies and use public funds efficiently.” 

There is also an urgent need for action regarding the Erbenheim Volunteer Fire Department. The fire station, currently shared with the Justus-von-Liebig School, no longer meets legal requirements. Space is at capacity, and operational procedures are restricted in the event of an emergency. Furthermore, emergency vehicles must drive through the schoolyard after an alarm is sounded—a situation that meets neither today’s safety requirements nor the standards for a modern fire station. To comply with the provisions of the Hessian Fire and Disaster Protection Act and to ensure long-term operational readiness, a new building at a suitable location is therefore necessary. 

Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende, who is also responsible for the fire department, explains: “With this joint new construction project, we are making a twofold investment in Erbenheim’s future: We are creating the urgently needed childcare spots for families while also ensuring that our volunteer fire department can work under modern and safe conditions. Especially given the growing neighborhood, an effective emergency response system is indispensable. With the new fire station, we are laying the groundwork to ensure that our volunteer firefighters can continue to reliably fulfill their important duties in the future.” 

A feasibility study by the Building Department has shown that the joint construction of a daycare center and a fire station on a plot of land in the Erbenheim Süd residential area makes sense both economically and from an urban planning perspective. By combining both facilities, space can be used optimally, construction costs reduced, and synergies created. 

With this policy decision, the next step will be to commission the city’s Building Department to proceed with further planning and develop construction plans ready for approval. With this joint new construction project, the state capital of Wiesbaden aims to invest simultaneously in needs-based child care and modern emergency response capabilities. The project strengthens the infrastructure of the growing Erbenheim neighborhood and creates sustainable conditions for families as well as for the volunteer firefighters of the Volunteer Fire Department.