The shell is up, the roof is on it: the interim results of the new construction of the second ice rink in Villach were honored with a topping-out ceremony on Wednesday. Representatives of construction companies and politicians celebrated the important step on the way to completion. This is planned for October this year. The official opening is scheduled for November. “We are on schedule,” says Villach’s mayor Günther Albel. “The central technical elements are currently being installed that will cool both ice surfaces in the future – that is, those in the existing hall and in the new building.”
At the topping-out ceremony, Albel referred to the location factor of sport: “It revitalizes the city, strengthens tourism, creates jobs and keeps young people in the region.” Anyone who only looks at infrastructure from the perspective of short-term costs loses sight of quality of life and future opportunities in the long term.
“The second ice rink supports children, young people, schools, clubs, popular and elite sports. It enables exercise, health and social encounters. In addition, Villach will have Austria’s first women’s ice hockey performance center and the opportunity to hold events in the new hall, such as concerts. This is a big package from which the population will benefit enormously,” emphasized Albel and the city councilors Erwin Baumann (FPÖ), Christian Pober (ÖVP) and Harald Sobe (SPÖ) in a joint statement. Villach’s city government also thanked the project partners federal and state Carinthia, who contributed a total of more than 13 million euros. Without this money the project would not be possible.
For Vice Chancellor and Sports Minister Andreas Babler, “the topping-out ceremony is more than the traditional fixture of the construction project. It marks an important step towards strengthening girls and women in sport. With the new Federal Performance Center for women’s ice hockey, we are creating modern infrastructure, improving the training conditions for female athletes and supporting female ice hockey talents on their way to top-class sport.”
Governor Kaiser: “Carinthia is the Austrian ice hockey mother state”
Governor Peter Kaiser emphasized the appeal of the project: “Carinthia, with KAC and VSV, is the Austrian ice hockey parent state. The fact that the new hall goes hand in hand with the establishment of a women’s national ice hockey performance center is not only confirmation, but a much-noticed upgrade for the sports region of Carinthia. As a sports consultant and as an ice hockey fan, I am very pleased that the important expansion of the Ice rink infrastructure will be implemented in Villach.”
For state sports director Arno Arthofer, the completion of the second hall marks the completion of “a long-awaited project in the local sports infrastructure sector. Not only top-class sport will benefit significantly from this, the additional hall will primarily benefit popular and youth sports with numerous disciplines. A happy day for the city of Villach and Carinthian sport!”
Klaus Hartmann, President of the Austrian Ice Hockey Association: “In view of the current closures of ice rinks and ice rinks in Austria, the construction of the second hall in Villach is a strong, positive signal. In autumn 2026, our women’s national team will contest its first World Cup in the top division. The Federal Performance Center for women’s ice hockey that is being built here is an essential component in the professionalization of women’s ice hockey and a real investment in the future. The ÖEHV has been fighting for years to ensure that ice rinks and ice rinks in Austria are expanded and renewed. We hope that Villach will serve as a good example for other cities and communities.”
Source: www.villach.at, Pic: www.villach.at (Knaus)
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