Urgent repair work: Werther Straße sports hall closed

The municipal sports hall on Werther Straße must be closed to all use with immediate effect for safety reasons. According to a recent announcement by Gebäudewirtschaft Bocholt (GWB), urgently required maintenance work, including on the hall ceiling, makes this step unavoidable. The city administration is already working flat out to find alternative options for the sports enthusiasts affected.

Following an inspection of the structural substance, GWB announced that the operational safety of the hall on Werther Strasse cannot be guaranteed at the present time. This is due, among other things, to specific defects in the hall ceiling that require short-term maintenance and repair work. As a result, it is not possible to enter and use the hall with immediate effect. The affected clubs and user groups have already been informed of this measure.

To avoid any misunderstandings, the city council would like to expressly point out that only the older municipal hall on Werther Straße is affected by this closure. The new triple sports hall, also known as Sporthalle West at Berufskolleg West, which is located on the opposite side of the Westring, is not affected. Operations there will continue as normal.

At the moment, the administration is unable to make any binding statements regarding the duration of the closure of the hall on Werther Straße. Experts are currently assessing the damage in order to estimate the exact scope of the necessary measures. The city of Bocholt is aiming to limit the closure to a few weeks and reopen the hall for sports as quickly as possible. However, a concrete timetable can only be given once the ongoing investigations have been completed.

"The safety of all athletes is our top priority. As soon as there are any doubts about operational safety, we have to act consistently", explains Dirk Lueg, Head of the Schools and Sport Department at the City of Bocholt, "Our team is currently examining ways to offer replacement solutions to the groups particularly affected as quickly as possible."

In order to minimise the impact on training and match operations, the Department of Schools and Sport is working on an alternative concept with the highest priority. The focus is particularly on competitive sports user groups in order to avoid seasonal interruptions. The aim is to provide sports clubs with usage times in other municipal sports halls as soon as possible. As soon as the corresponding capacities have been clarified, the clubs will be informed immediately about the alternative options.