Timetable delayed

Güssing “Aktivpark” will not go into operation until 2026

Water damage changes the timetable for the restart of the Güssing activity park.

(Bild: Schulter Christian)

The "Aktivpark" should actually have started operating this year. Instead, the construction site of the building complex, which the state acquired from the Viennese real estate company WSF for 3.5 million euros, is still a hive of activity. The new start is delayed and the costs are also rising.

The original schedule to implement the general renovation and conversion of the Aktivpark in Güssing in a 4-phase concept had to be shelved. The reason for this was massive water damage discovered in the basement in the summer of last year, which posed a major challenge for Landesimmobiliengesellschaft Burgenland (LIB). With new plans, the conversion - the building will be completely gutted - will now get off to a flying start, announced Provincial Councillor Heinrich Dorner (SPÖ).

The activity park offers enormous potential for sports tourism. However, the aim is also to attract regional clubs to the site.

Landesrat Heinrich Dorner (SPÖ)

Hotel with 30 rooms 
Instead of four phases, the renovation of the sports hotel with 30 rooms and facilities will now be completed in one construction phase. "This change in schedule also means that the Aktivpark will not open until the end of 2026," announced the provincial councillor.

Anton Beretzki (Sport Burgenland GmbH), Mayor Vinzenz Knor (SPÖ), Doris Kirchhofer (LIB), LR Heinrich Dorner, LIB Managing Director Jutta Benedek, Hannes Lackner (LIB).

(Bild: Schulter Christian)

Sports tourism center of southern Burgenland
A cost cap of around 22 million euros has been estimated for the overall project of all the measures mentioned. Originally, the state had announced that it would invest six million euros in the renovation. However, this sum would only have related to phase 1 of four phases, i.e. the pure renovation of the Aktivpark, explains Dorner. "The original schedule and many construction requirements have changed significantly due to the serious water damage. The state therefore decided to carry out a general core refurbishment including modernization and an extension to expand the sports facilities in the Aktivpark," explains Dorner. 

The tender for a general planner is currently underway. Despite the changed timetable, the future direction will not change. "The Aktivpark should establish itself as a sports tourism center in southern Burgenland and become the first port of call for school sports weeks and soccer camps," says Anton Beretzki, Managing Director of Sport Burgenland GmbH.

Talks between the municipality and the state about the hall
It is still unclear whether the state will also buy the adjoining multi-purpose hall from the municipality. If the head of the town Vinzenz Knor (SPÖ) has his way, the best solution would be for everything to be in one hand. The cost framework of 22 million euros would also include the purchase of the hall, adds Dorner.