Project By City Of Vienna And WSV On Hohe Wand Wiese Enables 60 School Classes To Have Free Skiing Fun

Since December 4th, Viennese compulsory school classes have had the opportunity to try out skiing on the Hohe-Wand-Wiese and make their first turns on the new mat facility. On Monday, Vienna's sports and health councilor Peter Hacker as well as deputy mayor and education councilor Christoph Wiederkehr visited the joint project of the City of Vienna and the Vienna Ski Association (WSV) in Vienna's 14th district.

The children were enthusiastic about the matted slope made of recycled plastic on the outskirts of Vienna. In the past few days the weather conditions have also created a perfect winter feeling with the first steps even in the snow. The demand for what the WSV and the City of Vienna offered was extremely high. The school ski courses were fully booked within a few hours. A good 60 school classes will be able to enjoy these first attempts at skiing this winter.

Vice Mayor and City Councilor for Education Christoph Wiederkehr: “Through Vienna’s educational opportunities, all compulsory general education schools in Vienna will for the first time receive a budget in order to be able to use more external offers such as the Vienna Skiwiesn. There are no costs for parents or the school - these are borne by the city of Vienna: We relieve the burden on schools and offer children new opportunities.

Sport and Health City Councilor Peter Hacker: “With the Vienna Skiwiesn, we bring many Viennese children on skis who would otherwise not have the opportunity to do so - free of charge, uncomplicated and without a long journey. Our matted slope doesn't need a snow cannon and shows that skiing in the big city doesn't have to be a contradiction. I am pleased about the great interest and thank everyone involved for the good cooperation.”

Vienna Ski Association cooperates with the City of Vienna

In order to implement this complex and ambitious project in many respects, WSV and MA 51 – Sport Wien are working closely together. The Vienna Skiwiesn is open to all students and is offered through the Vienna Educational Opportunities for Viennese general education compulsory schools. The costs are borne by the City of Vienna if the booking was made via Vienna Education Opportunities. From the WSV ski instructors to the prepared equipment from the MA 51 ski magazine, everything is provided on site free of charge.

“Even though we have had a winter landscape in the past few days, our investment of around 250,000 euros in the matted slope is forward-looking. Because we will have increasingly milder winters in the future. Thanks to the special surface and the free offer, many Viennese schoolchildren have the opportunity to make their first turns regardless of snow, temperature and financial possibilities,” says Anatol Richter, department head of MA 51 – Sport Vienna.

Environmentally friendly skiing fun

The Skiwiesn operation on the Hohe-Wand-Wiese will continue until February. A good 1,500 square meters of the innovative surface made of recycled plastic were laid to offer a slope between 20 and 30 meters long. In addition to the aspects of driving fun and safety, the mats used have an extremely long service life and do not ignore sustainability.

“It’s great to see that the joint project with the City of Vienna has met with so much enthusiasm and support. A thank you also goes to Sport Wien for investing in the new mat system and the ski equipment provided,” says WSV President Roland König about the great interest in the Vienna Skiwiesn. “The project is very important to us for several reasons. Of course, the first priority is children's access to skiing. Easily accessible offerings create enthusiasm among children. We also show that winter sports and environmental awareness are compatible. The Vienna Skiwiesn brings skiing to the city in a sustainable way and is therefore forward-looking." All those classes that have not been able to get a place so far have the opportunity to experience snow at courses in St. Corona am Wechsel in the WSV's follow-up project collect (“Schneewiesn”, https://wienliebtski.at/skiwiesn/ ).