The Liberals of Werdenfels don't like that at all: the municipal works have closed the Olympic ice sports center until August 15th.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen - The Olympic ice sports center in Garmisch-Partenkirchen has repeatedly made headlines in recent years. Mostly it was about closings. The end of the curling hall, for example, which now serves as a sports facility for other sports clubs. The regulars' ice hockey players feared further restrictions in the usage time of the two halls and accused the municipal works of a rigid economy. Now the entire facility is closed again - until August 15th. So it is on a note at the entrance on the west side. "Because of the current situation, caused by the corona virus" - that is the rationale.
Letter to mayor
The local FDP has now taken on the subject. The Werdenfelser Liberals wrote a letter that they addressed to the district office, Mayor Elisabeth Koch (CSU) and the director of the municipal works, Wodan Lichtmeß. In it, they demand at least clarification as to why the ice sports center will remain closed until mid-August. The return leaves something to be desired. Only the district authority responded. Jan Knopp, head of the department for public security and order, replied "that the district office has not issued an individual order for the Olympic ice sports center".
Elias Fischbacher is responsible for the matter. What is closer? The 20-year-old who competed in the local elections is an ice hockey goalkeeper at SC Riessersee. "He knows his way around very well," says FDP leader Martin Schröter. Fischbacher very much regrets the way of the municipal works. "The many ice sports enthusiasts lack training opportunities," he emphasizes, and believes that a general closure is nonsensical: "It doesn't have to be." The SCR youth teams and the pros have their weight room in the facility, and the sports hall could also be used for dry training be used - especially when the weather is not cooperating. "There is a clear code of conduct of the German Ice Hockey Federation for these facilities. That works very well in other stadiums. ”In addition, starting today, larger groups will be allowed to train together in compliance with hygiene rules.
"Stepchild" ice hockey
The young politician does not denounce that ice hockey is currently not possible. After all, contact sport is still prohibited by the government. In the summer, the complex was previously only available to inline hockey players or roller skating. Rather, Fischbacher disrupts the fixed date August 15 - two more months. Normally, the large Olympic Hall will be iced up again for the second weekend in July and made available to ice sports enthusiasts. "The U20 of the SCR wanted to be on the ice immediately this year," he emphasizes. Hobby teams were always among the first guests in the stadium. Ice hockey schools were added. "And the figure skaters are also affected," Fischbacher emphasizes. Which in turn do not practice contact sports. The bottom line: In this case, the FDP stands behind all ice athletes. She disrupts the inflexible behavior of the municipal works, "for which the ice rink is basically a stepchild," notes Schröter.
Dry training
At least when it comes to dry training, permanent users can have hopes. "With regard to the weight room, especially since only the SCR would be the user / tenant, I basically have no objection," says Wodan Lichtmeß when asked about Tagblatt. But he also makes it clear: "The topic has not yet been brought up to me internally." Those affected should simply contact the stadium manager Marianne Bauer.
The factory tour had given thought to the general closure. “With the bathrooms, we knew that something would come from above. At the ice rink we had to plan into the unknown, ”emphasizes Lichtmeß. Factors such as vacation and overtime cuts as well as short-time work at the municipal works played a role. There was also the question of when, due to corona, ice hockey would be possible again. Lichtmeß had learned from internal circles that training would probably not be allowed again until mid-August. "So we decided and planned accordingly." Ultimately, the decision was also communicated to the Board of Directors.