University of Kassel inaugurates boathouse and seminar building

The new building will enable the university to significantly expand its range of water sports courses.The new multifunctional building will serve as a boathouse and seminar building for the Institute of Sports and Sports Science at the University of Kassel. The total construction costs for the new building amount to around 1.25 million euros, and the usable floor space is 547 m². On the second floor there are two seminar rooms, changing rooms, showers, toilets, storage and kitchen. Here, for example, preparatory seminars for rowing, windsurfing, canoeing, but also yoga courses will take place. The boats will be stored on the first floor.

Prof. Dr. Volker Scheid, Executive Director of the Institute of Sports and Sports Science, explained at the inauguration: "The multifunctional building and the additional boats, which we were able to finance through a fundraising campaign, optimally round off the range of services for our sports students and university sports. In the future, it will be possible for anyone interested to row or paddle on the Fulda as part of university sports. Our students can already start the training to become rowing exercise instructors this semester as part of their sports studies, and the first group will complete the training in summer 2017."

Prof. Dr. Reiner Finkeldey, President of the University of Kassel, affirmed, "The boathouse not only expands the education of our sports students in the field of water sports, it also has a positive impact on the city of Kassel and the surrounding area. This is because, in addition to their studies, the students can, for example, get involved in the junior work of the regional rowing clubs and later further promote water sports at schools. In this way, the boathouse also illustrates the role of the University of Kassel for the entire region."

Successful fundraising campaign for the boathouse

In addition to the opening of the boathouse, the University and the Kassel University Society also celebrated the success of their fundraising campaign. Together, they had been looking for boat sponsors for the nine additional boats to equip the boat park under the motto "Come on board." The chairman of the university society, Andreas Fehr, summed up: "The campaign is a great success for us. In time for the opening of the boathouse, the funding for our boats has been secured. We thank all supporters and look forward to seeing the boats sailing on the Fulda soon." Around 57,000 euros have been collected so far. Seven boat sponsors have each financed a complete boat: Johannes Fehr GmbH & Co. KG, Kasseler Sparkasse, B. Braun Melsungen AG, SV Sparkassen Versicherung Holding AG, Dr. Fritjof Börner, Mr. Gerhard Fenge and the Freunde des Kasseler Hochschulsports e.V..

Students of the University of Kassel participated in the design of the new building and the technical building equipment under the motto "Students plan for students". The departments of architecture, urban planning and landscape planning, and mechanical engineering with the special field of solar and systems engineering were involved. With the support of the students, a very energy-efficient building with photovoltaic and solar thermal systems was constructed. Since the building is located in the floodplain of the Fulda River, it stands on supports - so it offers little surface area for flooding.

The total costs of around 1.25 million euros were covered by a share of 1.13 million euros from the Higher Education Pact 2010, which is jointly financed by the federal and state governments and aims to counter rising student numbers through short-term measures. The rest of the costs were financed through sponsoring. The Universitätsgesellschaft Kassel made a financial contribution of 100,000 euros. Other sponsors include the Freunde des Kasseler Hochschulsports e.V., Viessmann Werke GmbH & Co. KG, Städtische Werke AG (Kassel) and Eternit AG.

Photo of the new boathouse on the Auedamm shortly before the opening (Photo: Uni Kassel) at: http://www.uni-kassel.de/uni/fileadmin/datas/uni/presse/Bootshaus_am_Auedamm.jpg
Current pictures of the opening on request from the press office of the University of Kassel: presse[at]uni-kassel[dot]de.

Press release on the fundraising campaign in February 2016:
http://www.uni-kassel.de/uni/nc/universitaet/nachrichten/article/studieren-am-fluss-uni-und-universitaetsgesellschaft-suchen-boots-paten.html
Press release on the topping-out ceremony in July 2015:http://www.uni-kassel.de/uni/nc/universitaet/nachrichten/article/richtfest-des-neubaus-fuer-die-sportwissenschaft-am-auedamm.html
 

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