Allmend Lucerne loses grass pitch to make way for a new sports hall

A four-hall sports centre with after-school care places for around 150 children is to be built on the Luzerner Allmend. The City Council intends to secure 3.9 million Swiss francs initially to fund the design competition and construction project. In total, the city estimates the cost at around 40 million Swiss francs, with the facility due to open in 2033 at the earliest.

The planning grant now being sought is intended to fund the architectural competition and the development of the construction project. The new hall is planned for the Allmend Nord area on the current sports field, directly adjacent to the existing double-hall sports hall and below Allmendliweg and the Hubelmatt school building. The strain on the infrastructure has long been documented. In its sports facilities strategy, the City of Lucerne states that a new triple or quadruple sports hall is required for Hubelmatt. At the same time, there are plans to convert an existing pitch in the Hubelmatt and Allmend areas to artificial turf, so that sufficient training capacity is maintained despite the loss of a grass pitch. School sport and childcare are growing at the same time The hall is intended not only to relieve the pressure on club and recreational sport, but above all to make up for the lack of capacity for school sport. The need is particularly acute in the Moosmatt and Hubelmatt catchment areas, where additional housing and generational change in existing estates are bringing more children into schools. Rooms for after-school care are therefore also planned in the new building. Around 150 children are expected to eat and be looked after there in future. From a sporting perspective, the project has a clear focus. The new facility is to be specifically geared towards artistic gymnastics and apparatus gymnastics. Training sessions and competitions could thus be centralised in one location, which would relieve pressure on other sports halls in the town. Construction will only begin once preparatory work on the outdoor facilities has been completed The step now being planned does not yet constitute a decision to proceed with construction. First, the design competition and the building project must be finalised. As things stand, the actual building grant is expected in 2029 and would have to be put to the voters in Lucerne. Construction of the hall could begin in 2031 at the earliest, with occupancy scheduled for 2033 at the earliest. Before that, further work is planned for the Allmend site. According to the city’s regeneration plan, artificial turf pitches 33 and 34 will be replaced in 2027 and the lighting converted to LED. The sports facilities strategy also provides for the athletics facility to be refurbished by 2028. In terms of site development, this means a phased densification of the sports cluster rather than a single, hasty project. The restoration of the stream is also part of the redevelopment As well as affecting sport and childcare facilities, the project will also alter the open space. Along the southern façade, the Horwerbach stream – currently culverted – is to be uncovered, renaturalised and fitted with a flood relief channel. In accordance with the sports facilities strategy, the city intends to continue operating the neighbouring Allmend multi-purpose hall until a replacement facility can be established at a different location.