In Trebesing

A tunnel where animals graze & children play

Animals will graze on the enclosure and children will be able to play.

(Bild: Elisa Aschbacher)

Enclosure generates electricity and offers families a place to rest. Trebesing's mayor and former Babyhotel owner Siggi Neuschitzer reveal how this came about and what it brings to the community in an interview with the "Krone" newspaper.

The Trebesing playground is probably unique. It is located directly on the tunnel enclosure of the A10 Tauern highway. And if you don't know that cars and trucks are speeding through underneath, you won't even notice.

However, the tunnel was not built in 2005 because of a playground. "It was the noise that was unbearable. A cover had to be put over the A10 at Trebesing," says former Babyhotel boss Siggi Neuschitzer, looking back: "We suggested using the surface of the enclosure as a green space so that the affected landowners could get their land back. Which we were able to implement with regional politicians."

New play oasis for the children
And so the tunnel roof was rented out to farmers so that cattle could graze and hay could be harvested. "The playground was then built in 2009," says Neuschitzer proudly. And today it's hard to imagine life without it. "It makes sustainable use of an area and makes our community more attractive," says Mayor Arnold Prax, who is having the popular play oasis renovated this year at a cost of 108,000 euros.

Siggi Neuschitzer knows how the tunnel project on the A 10 came about. Arnold Prax (right) is delighted that the community is flourishing as a result.

(Bild: Elisa Aschbacher)

The playground is not the only thing to be found there. A large part of the 800-metre-long tunnel was equipped with PV this year. "Asfinag had 944 kWp installed, 32 of which belong to the municipality." The municipality wants to use the electricity for the kindergarten and elementary school and feed surplus energy into the power grid. A small energy community is also to be created. And animals will graze on the land again, just as they used to. "Sheep will take care of the ground around the PV systems," smiles the head of the municipality. The 2.2 million euro project by the municipality and Asfinag will be officially opened in the fall.