2000 - 2004
2000
In the Spring, the Municipal Council presented its mission statement entitled "Hünenberg: an attractive place to live" which contained various visions, strategies and guiding principles that were meant to pave the way for the municipality in the future. On 24 June, Lindenplatz was solemnly inaugurated in its new form by the Hünenberg Corporation with the participation of the Citizens' Council. On 23 August, the book entitled "Der Hünenberger Mattenboden", by Dr. Adolf A. Steiner and published by the Citizens' Council was launched. For the first time, two female citizens of Hünenberg managed to reach their 100th birthday. In September, the new Kemmatten schoolhouse was opened with an official festival. On 27 October, the first turf was cut at the start of another round of Municipal building projects - the new library and Games Library. The Christmas illuminations were extended and also put up in Kemmatten, so for the first time, a non-stop chain of lights connected the village and Kemmatten parts of the Municipality over the Christmas period.
2001
At the end of May, the renovation work was successful completed on the Residents Registration Office building and this was celebrated with an open doors day and many attractions. On 27 October, a big party was held to inaugurate the new Library and Games Library at 2 Einhornweg. The pending revision of the village planning was successfully started in November with the participation of the local inhabitants at two workshops, one of which was held in Kemmatten and the other in the village. The Municipal Council meeting on 10 December granted fundling for the construction of a sports facility and a leisure and recreational building. At the end of December, the sewage treatment plant in Giessen was shut down. Sewage will again be channelled through Schönau sewage plant in Lindencham.
2002
Our entire social and political life has this year been accompanied by guest painter Alfons Bürgler from Steinen who captured it in his pictures. The «guest painter» project had been initiated by the Council and taken up by the local Cultural Group. Painter Alfons Bürger was quite happy to have people look over his shoulder in his studio in the Maihoelzlisaal and he also ran projects with individual school classes in connection with his painting. He rounded off his work in Hünenberg at the beginning of December with a large exhibition of his pictures.
The renovation and renewal of the sewage systems were finally completed after approximately two-years' construction work. The waste water from Hünenberg is now channelled by the Lake Zug, Lake Küssnacht and Lake Aegeri Region Water-Protection Association (GVRZ) into the Schönau purification plant in Friesencham. On Saturday 27 April, there was an Open Day at the Giessen und Burg pumping plants.
At the end of April, Beda Boos, the first Hünenberg municipal foreman, was able to retire after 32 years' work. His successor was Max Imholz. After 14 years as Chairman of the Town Council, Max Bütler announced that he would be retiring at the end of the year. The former Local Councillor and Vice-Chairman, Hans Gysin, was elected as his successor.
On 3 June, the first sod was cut for the new sports and leisure buildings in Ehret and the Hünenberg Football Club was consequently launched in October. The unfavourable weather since the end of August delayed completion of the football pitch. The sports and leisure building, however, was still completed by Christmas.
On June 29, Hünenberg presented a varied programme on the lake promenade in Zug on the occasion of the cantonal celebrations of the 650th anniversary of the Canton of Zug joining the Swiss Confederation. Great interest was shown above all in the specially-designed water organ, a harmony of water, light and song, which almost made up for the missing firework display.
This summer, a Hünenberg delegation participated in the well-known Thursday television card game «Donnschtig Jass» on the DRS channel. The big live transmission went out on 8th August from the square in Zollweid, after the Hünenberg jass players had beaten the competition from Neuheim on a trip to St. Niklaus in Valais. Several thousand people made this wonderful August evening into a true popular celebration and an unforgettable experience.
The planning commission set up by the Council began its work at the beginning of August. The local planning revision was discussed at ten meetings. In November/December the local community was invited to attend two workshops. The result of these workshops was used in the further planning. The local planning revision is expected to be completed in 2004.
In early October, the first grape harvest took place in the municipal vineyard near the vineyard chapel. More than 40 people declared their interest in helping in the municipal grape harvest.
At the end of October, a delegation representing the Local Council and the Hünenberg churches paid a visit to the Slovak city of Banska Stiavnica with which Municipality of Hünenberg is to be twinned in connection with its affiliation to the Council of European Municipalities and Regions.
On 20 December, the Hünenberg City Councillor, Walter Suter, was for the second time after 1998, elected Landammann or President of the Canton of Zug.
2003
Throughout the year, we ran the slogan «clean Hünenberg» involving various activities meant to sensitise the community to caring for the environment and correctly disposing of waste. On 24th May, the new skate park and playground were opened to the youngsters. At the Municipality Meeting of 23rd June, voters agreed to the building of a park-and-ride facility at the new Zythus urban railway station and voted a contribution of up to CHF 400'000.- to the building of a new Scout house. The wine from the municipal vineyard was tasted for the first time at the Chaeppelifaescht on 29th June. In July, the Council decided to officially twin up with the friendly Slovak city of Banska Stiavnica. The «summer of the century» brought to the attractive Hünenberg public swimming pool a record number of visitors. The recently-built pavilion at the Kemmatten school complex could be put into service after the summer holidays. The new Hünenberg FC leisure and sports building in Ehret was handed over on 12nd September during the municipal sports prize-giving ceremony. Due to weather-related building delays, the inauguration of the new football pitch had to be postponed to Spring 2004. The local planning revision was resumed, inter alia, with a further workshop for the community. On 25th November, the Council adopted the local planning revision for preliminary examination by the building authorities of the Canton of Zug. It will be submitted to the community at the end of 2004. The Council will set up a finance committee at the end of the year to provide support in financial matters.
2004
In mid-April, the new footbridge over the Drälikerstrasse was opened to the public. This elegant overpass construction replaces the 12-year-old provisional structure at the south-eastern entrance to the town. The 85th Canton Zug Wrestling Games took place on Rony school grounds on 24 April. The Ehret Sports Centre with its new football pitch was officially opened on 8 May. At the same time, the entire canton celebrated its zäme ("together") cultural event. On 19 June, against the background of the traditional Saturday market, an official ceremony was held to mark the foundation of a twinning arrangement with the Slovakian town of Banska Stiavnica. On 29 June, Hünenberg's 8,000th inhabitant, in the person of Melchior Limacher, was formally made welcome. At the council meeting held in June, a budget deficit of approx. CHF 117,000 was noted - this for the first time since 1958. At the beginning of September, a forty-plus delegation visited the twin town of Banska Stiavnica and attended the official signing of the twinning certificate. At the end of September, Father Markus Fischer, the long.standing Catholic parish priest, took his well-earned retirement. Over the weekend of 22 - 24 October, the Hünenberg Music Society celebrated its new instruments with a grand festival. In November, Hünenberg was awarded the highly sought-after "Energy Town Label". At the ballot held on 28 November, the citizens of Hünenberg approved the local planning revision bill and the Enikon-Eichmatt-Zythus development plan. Jointly drawn up by the councils of Cham and Hünenberg, this concept is aimed at facilitating higher standards of quality when new housing is built in the future. Also planned is the construction of a communal school building. On 11 December, to the accompaniment of a large-scale festival across the entire canton, the Zug Urban Railway was inaugurated. In Hünenberg itself, we celebrated the opening of the new metro station at Zythus. Since 12 December 2004, then, Hünenberg - via the stations at Zythus and Chämleten - has been connected to the national and international rail networks. Finally, at the council meeting of 13 December 2004, the delegates voted to introduce a speed limit in four of Hünenberg's districts.