For the next three years, Stadtwerke Gießen will continue to sponsor the Gießen-Oberhessen section of the German Alpine Association - and thus the Central Hesse Climbing and Bouldering Centre.
Enjoying the mountains in all their facets and protecting nature - this is what the German Alpine Association (DAV) stands for. The Gießen-Oberhessen section has also been dedicated to one discipline in particular for four and a half years now. Not in the Alps, but directly in Giessen: The DAV Climbing and Bouldering Centre Giessen offers fun and challenges for everyone - from beginners to experienced crack climbers. "Sports programmes like this that are aimed at so many people are very close to our hearts," explains Ulli Boos, company spokesman for Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG), on the occasion of the signing of a contract. With this document, SWG and the local DAV section are extending their existing co-operation for a further three years.
"As a company with regional roots, we are happy to support the association in making climbing accessible to the general public," continues Ulli Boos.
Known far beyond Giessen
With around 2,800 members, the section is the largest sports and nature conservation organisation in Giessen. It therefore has the necessary expertise to operate a facility such as the climbing centre. "We are very grateful for the support of SWG. Without such sponsoring partners, it would simply be unthinkable for an association like us to set up a leisure facility such as a climbing centre and develop it further in the way we have been successfully doing for years," adds Dr Dr Ulrich Schlör, 1st Chairman of the section.
This development is impressive. Currently, an average of around 2,300 visitors come to the Giessen Climbing and Bouldering Centre every month. A sure sign that the initiators of the centre had the right instinct and a good hand. The offer obviously hits the mark: children, young adults - many of the DAV members and visitors to the climbing and bouldering centre study in Giessen - families as well as sprightly senior citizens regularly climb the vertical, sometimes overhanging artificial walls. Last but not least, schools and kindergartens also benefit from the climbing centre. "We have had appropriate courses and events in our programme right from the start, and we are also actively involved in school sports and climbing clubs," explains Dr Dr Ulrich Schlör.
For the young target group in particular, climbing opens up a whole host of opportunities that go far beyond sport and the associated personal development. After all, anyone who conquers increasingly challenging routes indoors and discovers climbing for themselves will sooner or later also be looking for an experience on real rock. This is exactly where the topic of nature conservation comes into play. "We carefully introduce children and young people to this wonderful sport and, of course, also teach them that we have to treat nature with care - especially when we use it for our leisure time," summarises Dr Dr Ulrich Schlör.
Speaking of environmental protection: the people in charge also attached great importance to this when building the climbing centre. In addition to environmentally friendly building materials, the design is also impressive from a nature perspective. The façade offers a total of 16 nesting opportunities for birds.