Winter ice rink in front of the Sylt town hall: opportunity or waste of money?

Winter ice rink in front of the Sylt town hall: opportunity or waste of money?

The municipality of Sylt is planning a winter adventure world that is suitable for locals and tourists alike. An approximately 300 square meter ice rink and an illuminated ice skating path are to be built in front of the town hall. This initiative is accompanied by gastronomy to create a welcoming winter atmosphere. The implementation of the project is estimated to cost 100,000 euros, which will be borne by taxpayers. The local council is scheduled to vote on the application on May 22nd. Before this vote, however, the budget situation, approval situation and the financing model must be examined in detail.

The organizer expects a municipal grant of 100,000 euros net. Critical voices from the committee express concerns about financial resources, particularly with regard to the social sector. Nevertheless, some representatives see the ice rink as a valuable opportunity for the island's capital. The idea contributors pointed to the social added value of the project and the goal of promoting encounters between tourists and locals during the dark season. A model for this project is the ice rink in Scharbeutz.

Criticism and possible support

Ole König, an entrepreneur, plans to invest 80,000 euros from his own resources in the project. Despite the majority supporting the project, there are doubts. In particular, representatives such as Ulrike Körbs from the islanders and Peter Marnitz from the SPD express concerns about the use of scarce resources. The Greens are calling for more comprehensive information on the participation conditions and a clear cost cap. But proponents of the rink argue that it can help improve downtown and create new off-season amenities.

The event dates have already been set and range from November 28th, 2025 to January 2nd, 2026. This would be the first ice rink on Sylt since 2007, which makes the project even more important.

Administrative structure under change

Parallel to the planning for the ice rink, the Sylt municipal council decided on a new official model on December 19, 2024. With 21 votes to 7, the way for a common administrative structure was paved. This model enables the Sylt municipalities, such as Hörnum, List auf Sylt, Wenningstedt-Braderup and Kampen, to maintain an independent administration and at the same time centralize administrative tasks. Mayor Andreas Dobrzinski sees this as an opportunity to improve cooperation and efficiency of administrative processes.

But the new model is not the only step that needs to be taken: the application for implementation will be sent to the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of the Interior, while the administration will be tasked with preparing the restructuring process. A residents' meeting to inform citizens about the new administrative model is planned for the end of the first quarter of 2025. Despite the changes, the mayoral election will remain as scheduled on March 16, 2025 after a request to postpone it was rejected. The final list of candidates will be determined after January 24, 2025, after the municipal election committee has decided on the nominations.