In Nidwalden there is a lack of covered tennis courts in winter: the youngsters are at a big disadvantage
The closure of the Rex sports and leisure center is leaving a gap in everyday training, especially for young tennis players. There are almost no alternatives – or they face major hurdles.
There is no longer a similar facility of this type in Nidwalden. The search by the former operator of the Rex for an alternative location has so far been unsuccessful, as Sinan Jerliu explains when asked. Certain local sports clubs are therefore forced to reorganize themselves. While the Nidwalden bowling section is moving to Emmenbrücke in order to continue training and competingthe tennis clubs in Nidwalden are still looking for suitable solutions. Nidwalden has numerous outdoor pitches (14) where interclub championships are held in the summer months, training sessions are organized and loose game units and club championships are held. However, these places are hardly playable in winter. The only two indoor courts are owned by the Bürgenstock Resort and are only partially open to the public.
According to the cantonal sports department, Nidwalden has around 200 young tennis players and 800 active tennis players. As an inquiry showed, the latter are switching to other venues: In addition to those on the Bürgenstock, these are primarily Engelberg, Kerns, Kriens and Littau. But the number of indoor spaces is limited throughout Central Switzerland – and the demand for them is correspondingly high. In addition, the new owner of the Pilatus Sportpark in Kriens wants to convert two tennis courts. Padelta AG specializes in the young sport of padel tennis and is setting up the two courts for the game of padel.
Clubs are responding – as best they can
The clubs are therefore also looking for internal solutions. The Stansstad Tennis Club, for example, is trying to extend the season slightly in the future and is currently planning to renovate the existing courts. “But this does not replace the winter season,” says Duško Vujinović, president of TC Stansstad. The club also tries to get good conditions for its members, for example on the Bürgenstock. “It would be ideal for us there, but the places are only accessible to a limited extent,” says Vujinović. Finding other solutions on the existing pitches in Stansstad, Hergiswil and Beckenried is difficult. This is shown by the example of TC Buochs.
When you could still play tennis in the “Rex” in Stans.
Better support thanks to Kasak
“We can only support private individuals and clubs ideally and financially,” says Philipp Hartmann. The Nidwalden canton’s strategy is based on building and operating sports facilities, says the head of the Nidwalden sports department. “Apart from the sports facilities at Kollegi Stans and the planned triple gym, the canton has no other sports infrastructure.” Hartmann is clear about the situation of tennis players and says that there is still potential in Nidwalden in general in terms of sports and leisure facilities. This was the result of the inventory analysis in connection with the development of the cantonal sports facility concept (Kasak). In the future, this is intended to set framework conditions so that the canton can better support planned projects in exchange with municipalities and other authorities. But Hartmann says clearly: “The canton has so far taken the stance of not building its own sports facilities other than cantonal school sports facilities.”
There is currently no prospect of a solution for tennis players in Nidwalden. The Nidwalden clubs’ faint hope of being able to rent space at TC Buochs in Ennetbürgen every now and then in the winter has been dashed for the time being. How things will continue there remains to be seen. The municipality of Ennetbürgen did not want to comment on the current status of the proceedings.
- Topics: Air Tanzania, Bau, Canton of Nidwalden, Philipp Hartmann, political, support, tennis
