Zug, 15.06.2020

Climbing walls are popular with young people

Sandra Hürlimann, head teacher of the ‘Letzi’ Primary School in the City of Zug, explains that the aim is to continuously expand the existing range of break-time activities. "The playground is not only used by school and kindergarten children, but is also a meeting place for the residents of the district," she emphasizes. "Our break area was redesigned some time ago. This was a great enrichment, and an added value for the entire school area." The planned boulder wall - a climbing wall that does not require safety harnesses - will be installed at the school's pavilion. The building applications for boulder walls in Guthirt and Letzi are available for viewing by the public until 17 June.

All applications from the schools regarding structural changes pass over the desk of Daniel Ehrensperger, the building management officer (Gebäudebewirtschafter) of the City of Zug. "The submissions were made one year in advance," he explains.

Climbing on the boulder wall

The equipment for the outdoor spaces always has to be discussed. "Especially in their leisure activities, children want to be able to carry out tasks or do painting outdoors." But it’s not always easy to create seating possibilities that can provide sufficient protection from the sun, however. Several such installations are currently in the pipeline.

The boulder walls are three metres high
Daniel Ehrensperger thinks the boulder walls, one of which has already been installed on the wooden facade of the building for leisure care in Oberwil, are a good thing. "It's certainly trendy. Such walls are often seen on playgrounds and schoolyards nowadays." Children have a strong need to climb and gain experience in this way. "The students of Guthirt and Letzi will certainly also find it cool." During the detailed clarifications, Ehrensperger can benefit from the experience with the first project in Oberwil. "The walls should be standing by around the end of September."

The boulder walls are three metres high and extend over the entire front facade of the buildings. "If you want to go higher, you have to secure the users," emphasizes Ehrensperger. However, according to the BfU regulation, no security is necessary at the moment. A 40 centimetre deep gravel bed prevents more serious injuries in the event of a fall. The cost of a boulder wall of this size is around CHF 20,000.

The annual cleaning of the facilities will provide a surprise for the little climbers. "The surface of a boulder wall consists of a wood-based panel with countless holes, into which the handles can be mounted," says Ehrensperger. "Every time we clean, we re-assemble the handles in a new combination. "A different course is also created every year, which challenges the skill of the young users anew.