30 million euros

Dilapidated ice rink to finally be upgraded

People have been skating on the ice rink again for a month now.(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

The covered ice rink in Salzburg's Volksgarten will not last much longer. This has been known for some time. On Friday, the city's steering committee made a landmark decision that will please ice sports clubs and enthusiasts. 

Mold and moss on the ceiling, holes in the concrete floor, exposed pipes, bending beams - the ice training hall in Salzburg's Volksgarten has had its best years long behind it. It is therefore clear to everyone that there is an urgent need for renovation. Bernhard Auinger (SOÖ) came forward as deputy mayor in mid-2023 with an official report proposing a new building for the venue. However, the then mayor Harald Preuner (ÖVP) was "only" in favor of a renovation.

A year and a half later, an important step for the future of ice sports in the Volksgarten now seems to have been taken. The municipal steering committee voted in favor of a new building on Friday. Specifically, this involves the construction of a new ice training hall on the eastern edge of the Volksgartenbad. The chosen option offers a forward-looking infrastructure that includes storage and training cabins for clubs, a ticket office area as well as changing rooms and skate rental for public skating. An underground parking garage is also to be built, which would make the Volksgarten car-free in the future. Cost: 30 million euros. 

Salzburg only second last
News that will especially delight the ice sports clubs. Camen Kiefer, the president of the figure skating association, said back in June 2023: "This move has been overdue for more than two decades. A new hall that can be used all year round would be a quantum leap for us." One that would also improve Salzburg's standing in Austria. After all, the province ranks second to last in terms of covered ice rinks - ahead of Burgenland.