Stocktaking
How sport and clubs in Vienna shape the population
Vienna moves. This is not only a plus for health reasons. A wide range of leisure activities creates enormous added value for the city.
With over 1000 parks and sports facilities, Vienna ensures that both those seeking relaxation and sports enthusiasts will find plenty of space. Particularly popular are the Danube Island, the Prater and the Vienna Woods, which not only attract joggers and cyclists, but also offer space for leisure activities such as skating, beach volleyball and climbing. Numerous playgrounds also make the city attractive for families. Organized sports also have their place in Vienna: sports clubs cover a wide range of disciplines, from soccer to martial arts to swimming. The city is also investing in the expansion and modernization of its sports facilities. According to the latest available data, over 1,000 sporting events took place in 2023, attracting more than one million visitors - clear evidence of the Viennese's enthusiasm for sport.
More than half of children are regularly active in sport
And according to a study by WienXtra, 35% of young people in Vienna regularly take part in sports. The most popular sports are soccer, swimming and cycling. In addition, creative leisure activities such as photography, handicrafts or music are of interest to around 75 percent of young people. 65% of children between the ages of 6 and 14 attend a sports facility or course at least once a week.
Despite this diversity, not everyone is equally well catered for: financial hurdles prevent all children from being able to participate equally in fee-based activities. For example, many children and young people spend their free time in their immediate residential area, as longer distances or expensive memberships are an obstacle. While there is a high density of leisure activities in the central districts, the range of activities on offer in the outer districts is often less comprehensive.
Without leisure activities, cell phones take over
In addition, one in five children in Vienna is affected by or at risk of poverty, which limits their participation in sporting or cultural activities. For many families, membership of a club and thus social interaction outside of school is simply not part of the household budget. The past few years have exacerbated the problem. Rosa Bergmann, head of the Hobby Lobby association: "If you're already struggling to cope with rising rents, energy and food prices, you're hardly going to find the money for membership fees."
Children are losing out
The consequences are disastrous: children whose parents can afford all of this are further increasing their academic advantage and skills, as 70 percent of our knowledge is acquired in a social context. Mental health problems are also on the rise. The alternative is usually a smartphone
Without the necessary infrastructure, all club activities come to nothing. The city has also recognized this and put together a package of measures. Vienna's commitment to a sustainable and modern sports infrastructure is reflected in a series of ambitious projects that promote both popular and professional sport. Numerous projects have already been implemented in recent years, while further measures are being planned. One of the flagship projects is the modernization of the Ernst Happel Stadium. An important part of the redesign is the installation of a photovoltaic system on the stadium roof and the conversion of the floodlights to energy-efficient LED technology. In addition, a new geothermal system with 270 deep probes ensures sustainable heating and cooling of the facility. The measures are part of the strategy to make the stadium emission-neutral in the long term and reduce energy costs.
SPOSA II: Support for club sport
With the second refurbishment programme for club sports facilities (SPOSA II), Vienna is also continuing the modernization of local sports facilities. After 24 sports facilities were renovated in the first phase with a budget of 37 million euros, a further 29 locations are planned for phase 2. The city is providing around 55 million euros for this purpose until 2026. The aim is to improve the infrastructure for sports clubs, remove barriers and implement energy-efficient modernizations.
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