New plastic track: district participates in funding

For comprehensive school, kindergarten and sports club: The district of Waldeck-Frankenberg supports TV Bergheim with a grant of 61,000 euros for the conversion of a cinder track into a synthetic track. Together with the state of Hesse and the municipality of Edertal, the sports club was able to realise a long-awaited dream.

In 2005, the cinder track was built in Bergheim. Soon, however, the sports club wished to replace it with a synthetic track. "Since the track is not only used by the TV Bergheim club itself, but also by the adjacent comprehensive school and kindergarten, a high-quality synthetic track is better suited for high use," explained Carsten Habermann from the sports and youth work department.

However, a synthetic track is not that cheap. The club had to raise 200,000 euros to fulfil its wish. But with the support of the municipality of Edertal with about 60,500 euros, the state of Hesse with 60,000 euros and the district of Waldeck-Frankenberg, they should succeed. First of all, the district promised the association almost 20,000 euros in sports funding. With about 14,000 euros of its own contribution, it was still short about 41,000 euros. "We sat down together in the administration to find a solution. We could not raise any more funds for this project from the sports funding. But since the track is not only used by the club, but also by the school and the kindergarten, the construction of a synthetic track at this location was very important to us," explained District Administrator Dr. Reinhard Kubat.

The district was able to raise the missing 41,000 euros from funds of the building management department. This made it possible for the association to fulfil its wish and put the track into operation this year. In September, the new track was inaugurated directly during the 16th Ederauen Volkslauf.