The end of the planned “Wälderhalle” in the Bregenzerwald now seems to have been finally sealed (we reported). Almost three million euros are missing in financing, which means that a future project that has been pursued for decades is on the verge of failure.
Long-planned showcase project fails due to lack of financing
The idea of an activity center for the Bregenzerwald arose almost 30 years ago, and in 2016 the location was finally fixed in the Sporenegg operating area in Andelsbuch. Despite numerous setbacks – from the corona pandemic to the economic consequences of the Ukraine war – the initiators around Hans and Klaus Metzler stuck to the vision of a modern multi-purpose hall.
The original project volume of 12.3 million euros from 2018 increased to 18.8 million euros due to the massive price increases. According to a release from the EC Bregenzerwald, the state of Vorarlberg has pledged 6.5 million euros, and the Bregenzerwald region should contribute 600,000 euros. Private investors and the club itself raised a further 8.8 million euros – leaving 2.9 million euros unfinanced.
Bregenzerwald region rejects accusations
The EC Bregenzerwald statement blames the failure of the Bregenzerwald region. This “brought the project down due to an alleged lack of funding”. Architect Klaus Metzler is disappointed: “The project ultimately fails because the Bregenzerwald region with its 24 member municipalities – despite all our efforts and promised compensation – is not willing to cover the outstanding financing needs.” The chairwoman of the region, Bianca Moosbrugger-Petter, contradicts this representation in the “Vorarlberger Nachrichten”. They were “very willing” to build the hall, but the financial resources were simply not enough. “We would have liked to build the hall, but raising additional money is simply not possible. The municipal coffers are under pressure anyway.” According to Moosbrugger-Petter, the region has provided a total of 1.6 million euros – 600,000 euros directly and one million euros through a needs allocation.
Slimming down is no longer economical – the project is finally stopped
At the last meeting on October 6th, further savings were discussed. But according to the regional chairwoman, a further reduction in construction costs would have meant that it would no longer be possible to operate the hall in a cost-covering manner. The project is therefore considered a failure.
EC Bregenzerwald loses home perspective
The end of the “Wälderhalle” has far-reaching consequences for the EC Bregenzerwald. The club, which has been training in Dornbirn for 13 years, is losing its only realistic chance of returning to its own region. Sports director Guntram Schedler warns of negative consequences: “Without a home there is a risk of regression in youth work and a weaker bond with the club.” Failure also affects the region outside of sport: a planned discotheque to replace the “E-Werk”, which closed in 2016, cannot now be implemented either.
Conclusion
With the end of the “Wälderhalle” comes the end of a decades-long vision that was a source of hope for the EC Bregenzerwald and the regional youth alike. Despite good discussions and a lot of commitment, the bitter realization remains: the financing gap was too big – the project has failed for the time being.
Image: facebook.com/martina.ruescher
