Playing operations stopped

City cuts ice time: club fears for its existence

The UEC has produced many talents in 52 years. Now, however, it is facing the ruins of its existence.

(Bild: Honorar)

Less ice time, no dressing rooms: Because the conditions for the traditional Mödling club have deteriorated, the club has stopped playing. A petition is now being launched.

"Municipality ensures continuation of public ice skating" - What the city sells in a press release as cheering news could mean the end for the traditional ice hockey club UEC Mödling. The club, which was founded in 1972, no longer sees any basis for playing in the changed conditions. As a result, it was discontinued.

Specifically, the main issue is ice time, which has been reduced from 22 to nine hours per week. The fact that this was described as "generous" in the press release is extremely annoying for the Puckjäger, who see themselves as merely being treated as a "hobby club". "Yet we train athletes across all age groups and have already produced A national team players," explains the club, which believes the ice times are too short: "With eight age groups playing, it doesn't add up."

According to the UEC, 22 instead of nine hours a week is far too little for serious work.

(Bild: Marko Hannula, Suomen Mediatuotanto, stock.adobe.com (Symbolfoto))

The club does not accept the fact that energy costs are cited as the main reason. "The ice rinks have to be cooled 24 hours a day anyway. And heating the outdoor swimming pool in winter is not seen as a problem".

No checkrooms
Another problem: the rooms made available to the UEC can no longer be used for fire safety reasons, including the necessary changing facilities. "We can't let 105 children strip down to their underpants outside in winter," says the club, which has offered a solution. "We would have provided containers for the municipality at no extra cost," says the UEC, which criticizes the city for failing to provide support for children and young people.

We expect the municipality of Mödling and the operator of the Mödling municipal swimming pool to make us an offer that meets our needs in order to maintain the club's training and championship operations.

Der UEC in einer Stellungnahme

Discussions between the club and the town were unsuccessful. Supporters of the UEC then launched a petition, which already has 4,000 signatories. The aim is to call on the city to take measures to ensure the club's continued existence.

"A pity, but also an opportunity"
The city councillor responsible, Markus Gilly, regrets the association's decision, but also sees an opportunity to expand public ice skating. "As a school town, it is important to us to provide winter sports opportunities for a wide audience, even under difficult conditions," says Gilly.