In front of the leisure center:

Parking lot now gets huge “sunshades”

Delighted with the go-ahead for the major eco-project at the leisure center in Waidhofen/Thaya: Project manager Sebastian Gerstorfer, WEB board member Florian Müller and head of the town Josef Ramharter.

(Bild: WEB Windenergie/Benjamin Wald)

An asphalt area in front of the leisure center in Waidhofen an der Thaya is not only being renovated, but also roofed over. The aim is to harvest lots of solar power in the future.

The large parking lot in front of the leisure center (FZ) in Waidhofen an der Thaya covers 4450 square meters. It houses a fitness studio, restaurant, outdoor pool, tennis and beach volleyball courts and much more. After many years, the asphalt surface next to the Thaya river needs to be renovated, which is the impetus for a huge eco-energy project: Carports are to be erected on around a third of the area and fitted with photovoltaic (PV) panels. There is space for more than 700 modules, which corresponds to an output of 310 kW peak.

Blazing sun, hail and snow ...
ÖVP mayor Josef Ramharter is delighted about the project with the internationally active WEB Windenergie AG. "This project brings us many advantages: solar power is produced at the time when the FC is open. In addition, the roofs offer protection from the scorching summer heat, but also from hail and snowfall. And the surplus electricity can be used in our energy community at an attractive price," says the city boss happily.

Project will cost over one million euros in total
The city has budgeted 500,000 euros for the parking lot renovation, WEB will probably have to spend a little more on the carports and the PV modules. WEB will be allowed to use the PV system for two decades, after which it will become the property of the city.

The tender is due to be issued in mid-January. No problems are expected with the official approval, even though water entered the FC during the September flood and the parking lot was also partially flooded. "The site is outside the HQ 30 limit (30-year flood). We are also milling off 10 centimetres of asphalt surface, but 40 centimetres will then be rebuilt," says Ramharter.

Everything should be ready for the swimming season
Everything should be ready by the time the outdoor pool opens at the end of May. Contrary to various sketches, access and exit for trucks and the fire department should be possible without any problems. According to WEB, almost 120 parking spaces, more parking spaces for bicycles and bicycles and an extra parking lot for buses and trucks are planned. "PV roofing for parking spaces that are already sealed is the perfect solution," says WEB CEO Florian Müller about the project.