Plenty of space between the halls

Inviting ambience: A spacious square with a checkered pattern has been created between the Auepark Hall (left) and the Task Hall (right). Cyclists will find plenty of metal brackets to lock up their bikes. Photos: Peter Dilling

Kassel - Representatives of the city and the University of Kassel have now celebrated the result of their successful cooperation in the final design of the hall complex at the Institute of Sport and Sports Sciences next to the Auestadion: the completion of the outdoor facilities between the Task-Halle and the Auepark-Großsporthalle on the property of the city of Kassel cost 500,000 euros. A construction company from Baunatal began work in the spring after the temporary construction road to the former Corona vaccination center in the Auepark hall could be built back after its closure in autumn 2021.

Between the two halls, a spacious square has been created, laid with tiles in a check pattern and different shades of gray, which invites people to linger in good weather and enables outdoor events. There is now no shortage of bicycle racks at the halls: 42 of them have been installed. Unfortunately, there was not enough money for the originally planned roofing of these parking spaces, said Volker Lange from the Environment and Garden Agency at the inauguration of the facility.

Instead, a lot of new trees and shrubs have been planted, including tupelo trees, rock pears and maples, which provide shade and defy droughts. Benches from the 1970s have been refurbished and invite visitors to linger. Flowering plants and the seeds of wild herbs have also been planted around the edges of the square. A small slope has been created on the western side of the sports field next to the Taskhalle, which can be used as a natural grandstand during matches. The project also included a ring driveway made of concrete paving stones so that the fire department can maneuver their vehicles easily in the event of a fire. The university has also invested further money in replacing the cinder tennis court next to the Taskhalle with a multifunctional synthetic hard court. 200,000 euros have been invested in this, said Armin Trapp from the university's building administration. This saves the costly renovation of the cinder court after each winter. In addition, the new hard court can now be used all year round.

The outdoor facilities are another milestone in the upgrading of the sports center, said Karl Haase, head of the university's construction department. In the next few years, the roof of the Auepark-Halle will be renovated to make it more energy-efficient.

Source information: Tuesday, December 19, 2023, Hessische Allgemeine (Kassel-Mitte) / City districts, page 9