Athletes' Training Hindered by Mold Outbreak
The district of Kassel, home to numerous sports clubs, is currently grappling with the issue of ageing sports infrastructure. A significant number of the district's 53 sports halls, including the one at Söhre School, are in a critical age range, with many being over 50 years old.
The gymnasium at Söhre School, which has been experiencing issues for several years, recently closed due to a more extensive damage than initially thought, revealed during construction work this summer. The closure has been particularly hard on the handball club HSG Lohfelden/Vollmarshausen, which has lost its playing venue as a result.
The club chairman, Christian Welsch, has stated that the lack of real home games could have financial consequences for the club. Furthermore, he predicts that the school's closure will lead to the loss of teams in the youth area. The closure also affects the students of Söhre School, who are now using alternative halls, with some journeys being too far, necessitating carpooling.
The significant mold infestation in the facade of the gymnasium is another concern, and some sponsors who had advertising in the gymnasium have already withdrawn due to the closure. The total need for renovation for gymnasiums in the district of Kassel is over 66 million euros.
The district spokesperson, Shuhaiber, has mentioned that all 41 sports halls in the district that were built between 1958 and 1986 are getting old. The district currently assumes that the gymnasium at Söhre School will remain closed until the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027.
The district of Kassel provides its halls free of charge to clubs, but maintaining sports infrastructure in the district, and likely in other districts, will consume a lot of money in the coming years. Districts like Kassel often face challenges with ageing sports infrastructure, where substantial repair costs arise due to outdated building structures and wear over time.
Typically, local governments or sports authorities develop renovation or replacement plans to address these challenges, which may include securing funding, prioritizing buildings based on severity, and integrating modern, energy-efficient, or multifunctional designs. Specific plans could involve phased renovations or new construction projects to ensure continuous availability of sports facilities.
However, since no concrete or recent data about Kassel’s sports halls renovation project or funding status was found, this remains a general conjecture. For exact and up-to-date information about Kassel district sports halls, consulting local municipal sources, district council announcements, or regional sports associations’ communications would be recommended.
In the attempt to resolve the issue of ageing sports infrastructure, districts like Kassel may need to integrate modern, energy-efficient, or multifunctional designs in their renovation or replacement plans. This could involve securing funding, prioritizing buildings based on severity, and ensuring continuous availability of sports facilities, not only for sports clubs such as HSG Lohfelden/Vollmarshausen, but also for health-and-wellness activities and other community events.
Moreover, since other districts might face similar challenges, investing in science and technology could provide innovative solutions for maintaining and improving sports infrastructure, contributing to the overall health-and-wellness and sports sector.
