Expansion of the Municipal Sports Infrastructure in Mönchengladbach – Focus February 2026

Sports in the Urban Space: Small Equipment and Multigenerational Playgrounds

For several years, Mönchengladbach has pursued the approach of creating sports and movement areas outside of traditional sports facilities to make the city a "city in motion." Within the "Small Equipment for Sports in the Urban Space" package of measures, sports equipment has already been installed in the districts of Süd and West, including combination equipment, chest presses (including), dip benches, and runners. These installations will follow in the districts of Nord and Ost in the coming months.

In the district of Nord, the green area east of the water feature at the Bunter Garten playground will be equipped. In the district of Ost, the area of the former beach volleyball field at the Fliederweg playground in Giesenkirchen has been planned. The costs for the equipment range from approximately 95,000 to 97,000 euros depending on the location. The equipment is deliberately designed for inclusivity, for example with wheelchair accessibility for calisthenic devices.

The city is also working on the development of multigenerational playgrounds, where children can play on playgrounds while adults can exercise on small equipment. This concept is part of the Sports Development Plan 2023–2027 and aims to promote social and physical integration.

Sports Hall Planning and Construction Capacity

Another focus of the city's sports policy is the planning of new and the renovation of existing sports halls. Due to the shortage of covered sports areas, which leads to cancellations in physical education and limited teaching offers, an additional need for at least four multi-purpose sports halls has been identified for the school year 2029/2030.

The city has therefore initiated feasibility studies for the construction of new sports halls in the planning areas of Hardterbroich/Pesch (site Rohrstraße) and Mülfort-Dohr (site Brückenstraße). Both sites are considered particularly suitable because they are located in close proximity to existing school systems and have sufficient land. In the planning area Rheydt-Zentrum, however, there is currently no suitable site to realize a multi-purpose sports hall.

The administration is also evaluating existing plots of land and examining whether existing halls can be expanded or demolished and replaced by larger ones. The results of the feasibility studies must be presented to the political bodies to carry out the final planning.

Sports Promotion in Schools: Swimming, Hockey, and New Sports Projects

In addition to infrastructure development, Mönchengladbach has also achieved important milestones in school sports promotion. The city hosted the 2025 Hockey European Championships, which concluded with a positive outcome. 66,000 spectators experienced the games live, and the German team secured both gold and silver.

Within the "Swimming Assistance" project, 18 swimming assistants have been deployed at 25 primary schools since March 2023 to improve students' swimming skills. In February 2026, the non-swimmer rate in the 4th grade was 17.94%, while it dropped to 14.43% in the 5th grade. The city aims to continue the project beyond the school year 2025/2026 and has already allocated 25,000 euros for the year 2026/2027.

In addition, it is being examined whether a city-wide student football or hockey league can be established. The goal is to promote physical, social, and personal development through team sports while simultaneously strengthening Mönchengladbach's image as a sports-friendly city.

Outlook

Mönchengladbach's sports policy is active on multiple levels: from the expansion of the sports infrastructure through the promotion of movement in the urban space to school sports promotion. The city is relying on inclusivity, multigenerational concepts, and modern planning to sustainably promote the mobility and health of the population. With the current projects and measures, Mönchengladbach will continue to be perceived as a model city for sports and movement in North Rhine-Westphalia in the future.