When moving to Kiel you will inevitably hear about Kiel’s largest district Gaarden and chances are it won’t be something good. Gaarden has arguably the worst reputation of any district in the city. Even if it’s not entirely unwarranted as some parts of Gaarden can be a bit shady, the story’s you hear are generally overblown. Gaarden is Kiel’s most culturally diverse district which gives it a nice flair and has a bunch of sport clubs and active communities. The city has also invested heavily in overhauling Gaarden, with the “Sport- und Bewegungspark”, a park with sport fields and equipment, being the centerpiece of the operation. So, to overthrow your perception of Gaarden and as a try to paint it in a better light, this article will give you a portrait of the “Sport- und Bewegungspark” and some of the communities surrounding it.

Quick history

In 2007 the city council decided on building the “Sport- und Bewegungspark” with the construction starting in 2009. The construction was divided into 5 different sections that have been finished over the past years ending with a new skate park in 2017. During the planning phases for the different sections the city made an effort to let citizen participate and incorporate their input.

Two establishments that were already there before the restructuring are the public pool Katzheide and the mini golf course. These are still there as part of the park.

Sport other attractions

As the name suggests, sports are a big part of the park and as such there are a variety of sport fields and equipment available for visitors. Grab your football and play either on a grass football field or a tartan field with your friends. Adjacent to the tartan field is a tartan basketball court on which you can how hone your basketball skills. If that doesn´t suit your liking, then maybe check out the two beach volleyball fields. Or maybe team sports aren´t your thing and you rather want to check out the tennis fields or the table tennis table. Apart from traditional sports the park also provides set equipment to just work out. These include pull-up bars and a small section with equipment for bodyweight strength and coordination which admittedly is a bit small and mostly used for gymnastics from senior citizens.

As mentioned before the park also features a highly frequented skate park for skateboarding, BMX and scooters as well as a roller-skating ring. However, the roller-skating ring has mostly been annexed by the visitors of the skate park and is used as an additional flat ground for tricks and beginners. Skaters also bring their own obstacles for the ring to make skateboarding more exciting. While most of the attractions mentioned before are more geared towards adults or teenagers, apart from the grassy football field that’s often used by families, the playgrounds are definitely a highlight for families with young children. Afterwards you can even slam something on one of the 3 public grills for a barbeque if you don’t have one at home. If all that isn´t for you, the park is also nice to just go for a jog or a walk with your dog. There is a dedicated area for dogs to play and run around freely so even your furry friends can have some playtime.

Community

Gaarden has two sport clubs, TuS Gaarden and Inter Türkspor with their headquarters near the park. They play a huge role in bringing people from different backgrounds together and helping with integration. Those two clubs aren’t the only ones. Senior citizens can partake in weekly organized gymnastic sessions every Tuesday completely free. The same thing applies for the open invite Boule group that also meets every Tuesday. Of course, there are also options and communities for younger people with the “Chillbox”, a youth club for teenagers being chief among them. They have a room to relax and play indoors but they also rent sports equipment and organize basketball and football tournaments as well as skate contests. On top of that, as long as the weather is good, you will run into other people on many of the sport fields. Maybe invite them to play with you. Many of them organize themselves in groups to always coordinate times to play. Another community that often resides in the park are the skateboarders. The skatepark is pretty well liked because of the nice atmosphere, the well-structured layout and maybe most importantly the lights that allow sessions to last even after the sun has set. If you want to know more about the skate community in Kiel check out this article .

Construction Lights and Public Car Parks – Skateboarding in Kiel

All in all, the park has become a vital part of Gaarden and is the premiere escape from the city for people from the district. The “Sport- und Bewegungspark” provides a blend of nature, fun and interactive sport opportunities and a place for families. In case you want to get active and maybe play a round of basketball or just want to explore something new the park is right there waiting for you.