Our sports clubs are powerful multipliers that anchor the idea of sustainability in the community.
Here you will find current projects, strategies and initiatives that show how sport and sustainability go hand in hand. You will also find information on how your sports club can be promoted in sustainability to make Bonn a liveable and inclusive city for all.
The three dimensions of sustainability are:
- Environmental
- Social
- Economic
All pillars are equally weighted and equally important. Sustainable development can only be achieved if environmental, economic and social goals are implemented simultaneously and on an equal footing.
Expert opinion on sports development
Since 2019, the report on sports development has provided a compass for the sustainable development of Bonn's sports landscape. The recommendations for action and eight key objectives contained in the report serve as the basis for all further measures in the areas of sports development and sports facility management. Sport is seen as a cross-sectional task that has an impact on future urban development. The recommendations make it clear how important sport is to society and what positive effects it has. The aim is to strengthen sport in Bonn and develop it further. The aim is to create the best possible framework conditions for school and club sport, but also for informal, self-organized sport in public spaces, so that all citizens can participate. Wherever sport is practiced, places for exercise and encounters should be created. The report on sports development follows the guiding principle of a "sports city for all people". Another leitmotif shows how sport can make an important contribution to achieving sustainable urban development in Bonn through its diversity.
Sport and climate protection are already closely linked in Bonn. The report on sports development, which includes concrete measures in connection with sustainable urban development, has been available since 2019. The Sports Development Planning Steering Group has been meeting regularly since autumn 2020 to review, implement and specify the measures and recommendations, with the participation of the Stadtsportbund Bonn e.V., the Sports and Baths Office, the Education Office, the Office for Social Affairs and Housing, the Office for Children, Youth and Family, the Health Office, the Urban Planning Office, the Office for the Environment and Urban Greenery and the Municipal Building Management (SGB). In 2021, two sports science employees were hired at the Sports and Pool Office to implement and evaluate sports development planning. The topics of sustainability, sports development planning, informal sports and exercise spaces in public areas, competitive sports development, sport and exercise in educational institutions, inclusion in sport were incorporated into the existing organizational structure of the Sports and Pool Office
Sports promotion
Sports funding is now also geared towards sustainable development criteria and has even been increased. Sport, in its broad social significance and as an important multiplier, is also intended to contribute to the city of Bonn's goal of implementing the UN's Agenda 2030 at municipal level. To this end, the sports funding guidelines were adapted in 2022 on the basis of Bonn's sustainability strategy and the funding goal of "sustainability" was explicitly included. Since then, sports clubs that want to include trend sports, offers for special target groups (e.g. people with special needs) or innovative offers and can demonstrate a need for this can receive project-related start-up support. Sports clubs that want to refocus their care, social and sports work on districts with a high number of people with low participation in sport will also receive project-based support. Clubs that carry out projects in the area of "sustainability" and demonstrate exemplary success receive additional funding.
Sideletter Sports Promotion Guidelines
Bonn's sports clubs will receive € 160,000 in funding from the Bonn Climate Plan to implement climate protection measures. In cooperation with the City Sports Association, the Sports and Baths Office has prepared a side letter on the sports funding guidelines for the use of the additional funds from the City of Bonn's climate plan. For example, grants are awarded for the purchase of sports equipment and balls that are produced sustainably in line with the climate goals of the City of Bonn and are certified accordingly.
Fair footballs pilot project
The Sports and Pool Office initiated the Fairtrade balls project in September 2020: three sports clubs in Bonn were invited to test a total of 255 fair footballs procured by the city to see whether they met the sporting requirements. The evaluation was delayed due to the pandemic, but in spring 2022 a clear recommendation was made by the clubs in favor of the fair balls. The Sports and Pool Office then sought a discount from the manufacturer and can now offer all clubs a discounted purchase of fair footballs. All sports clubs in Bonn have been informed accordingly. In this context, fair footballs are also purchased whenever possible when new balls are needed for schools in Bonn.
Infrastructure
Renovation and new construction measures
Well before the EU directive, which bans the sale of (products containing) microplastics from 2031, comes into force, the Sports and Pool Authority uses other materials instead of artificial turf granules/rubber granules when building new pitches or replacing infills for the city's 35 or so artificial turf pitches. A cork infill was initially used from 2019. Since then, the new artificial turf has had a modified fiber structure and is now only filled with sand. This makes it possible to dispense with microplastics without compromising the ideal sporting properties.
Current infrastructure planning
Kurfürstenbad
The new Kurfürstenbad is planned as a modern indoor pool that is based on renewable energies and focuses on the optimized and sustainable use of resources.
The pool is to be operated entirely without fossil fuels, which will make an important contribution to Bonn's goal of climate neutrality by 2035. The entire roof area is to be extensively greened and will also be equipped with a photovoltaic system.
Particular attention will be paid to minimizing the building's energy requirements through the optimal use of heat recovery systems and the use of heat pumps and a solar energy system.
Successful implementation of sustainable exercise and meeting landscapes and sports facilities
Reuterpark
As the first inclusively designed park in Bonn, the Reuterpark is considered a project for the future that makes an important contribution on the way to becoming an inclusive sports city. Reuterpark is a key project in the development of exercise and meeting landscapes in public spaces. Demographic change and digitalization have transformed physical activity and sporting behaviour: New needs and requirements have emerged. More integration, inclusion, diversity and effective measures for climate adaptation are therefore needed. Simple adaptations have already been implemented in response to demographic change. Barrier-free paths help older people with limited mobility. Climatic changes have been taken into account: trees, shrubs and green spaces help to provide natural shade, store rainwater and cool the environment.
Skatepark
With the conversion of the former youth traffic school into a modern skate park with "street" and "bowl" disciplines, the SuBCulture Bonn e.V. association, the BETON FÜR BONN initiative and its sponsors have created a public place where sport, culture and leisure can be harmonized. The Bonn Skatepark is intended to serve young people as a meeting place, training facility and recreation area, but also as a place for cultural and artistic development.
The green areas in the skate park will be given back to nature as compensation areas and will be ecologically enhanced as flowering meadows, most of which are bee willows.
Sustainable sports hall in Schwarzrheindorf
On September 26, 2024, the new sports hall in Schwarzrheindorf was unveiled, serving both the Arnold-von-Wied elementary school and local sports clubs. The hall measures 15x27 meters and supports sports lessons and training for seven sports clubs.
Sustainability is the focus: the sports hall meets the KfW Efficiency 40 standard, uses two air-to-water heat pumps and has underfloor heating. A photovoltaic system on the main roof generates around 50,000 kWh of electricity per year. An extensive green roof also ensures a better microclimate.
Access is barrier-free, making it easier for everyone to use. Despite some delays, the construction costs of just under 4.6 million euros remain within budget.
Cooperations and partnerships
The Sports and Pool Authority maintains numerous collaborations and partnerships that contribute to the various pillars of sustainability.
Bonn Sports Association (SSB)
In 2022, a cooperation agreement was concluded between the city of Bonn and the Stadtsportbund Bonn (SSB). The agreement lays the foundations for the joint future task of "sports development" and the expansion of Bonn's sports landscape in order to strengthen Bonn's profile as a dynamic city of sport and exercise. Common strategic goals and key topics include a sustainability concept, a stronger focus on social spaces, the strengthening of cooperation with educational institutions and the development of a sports-related mission statement.
There is a regular exchange with other offices and the SSB to accompany the implementation and evaluation of sports development planning and to outline new activities for sport in Bonn.
The Sports and Pool Office and the SSB have jointly created an information page to support clubs with sustainability activities.
Bonn - a place for everyone" network
From an application jointly submitted in May 2022 - but rejected - to the "Inklusion vor Ort" funding program of Aktion Mensch and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the network "Bonn - Ort für alle" has since developed, which is committed to making Bonn an inclusive, liveable place for everyone in all areas of society. The members of the network, which also includes the Sports and Pool Authority, define inclusion as follows: Everyone has access to all areas of life and can participate in all social processes. Equally and regardless of disability, social or ethnic origin, gender, age, income, sexual identity, ideology, religion or other individual characteristics and abilities.
Network "Sport and inclusion"
An important step for inclusion in sport was the staging of the Special Olympics NRW state games in Bonn in 2022 and the fact that Bonn was the host city for the Special Olympics World Games 2023 in Berlin. Both events sent out an important signal and strengthened inclusive sport in Bonn.
The topic has been actively represented locally since 2022 by the "Sport and Inclusion" network, a collaboration between the City of Bonn, the SSB, Special Olympics NRW (SONRW) and the Bonn Disabled Community. On the way to a more inclusive sports landscape, the network brings people and groups together to tackle challenges together, provide impetus and promote the expansion of inclusive sports offerings in Bonn's sports clubs. The aim is to establish inclusive structures and anchor self-determined participation in the long term.
At the kick-off event in June 2022, inclusion in the field of sport was discussed and contacts were made. Among other things, the focus was on the question of how clubs can start offering inclusive sports activities and who could help with this. In order for participation through sport to succeed, people with disabilities must also experience a welcoming culture in sports clubs. In addition to accessibility and open-mindedness, this also requires expertise. For this reason, a "Sports and Inclusion Day" was planned for the first time in March 2024 together with the Bonn Disabled Community, SONRW and the SSB to provide information and practical application. The Sport and Inclusion Symposium was important in order to offer clubs and other interested or affected parties (children, young people, schools in the field of sport) a place where they can exchange ideas and information. The aim for all participants was to gather information, exchange ideas and find out how inclusion can be brought to life in sport and implemented in everyday life. A second symposium is planned for 2025.
More sustainable sports clubs in Bonn" initiative
As early as 2021, recommendations for action on the topic of "Sport and Sustainability" were developed in cooperation with a number of sports clubs and the Stadtsportbund with reference to the City of Bonn's sustainability strategy. These have been published on the homepage of the Stadtsportbund (https://www.ssb-bonn.de/themen/sport-und-nachhaltigkeit).
There are still many questions and topics relating to more sustainable club life - from club organization to youth work, environmentally friendly mobility concepts, inclusion, resource-conserving sporting events and much more. As the development and implementation of a sustainability strategy is a major challenge for sports clubs that are mainly run on a voluntary basis, the Sports and Baths Office, together with the Stadtsportbund Bonn and the Center for Sustainable Leadership (ZNU) at Witten/Herdecke University, founded the "Sustainable Sports Clubs Bonn" initiative in April 2024. As many Bonn sports clubs as possible are to join this initiative, which aims to create a guideline that will show Bonn sports clubs concrete opportunities for action in the direction of sustainable development.
In the first phase of the project, several workshops were held with representatives of the sports clubs to identify which fields of action, measures and goals are highly relevant for sports clubs. This participatory process created the basis for a checklist to be made available to sports clubs in Bonn for the implementation of sustainability measures.
However, it became clear during the ongoing process that the original aim of the guidelines, including an already applicable checklist, cannot be achieved in a single step. It therefore makes sense to continue the process. In the second phase, pilot sports clubs are to test, implement and further develop the identified measures. The draft checklist is to be refined in collaboration with the pilot clubs and underpinned with key figures. This is particularly necessary to differentiate between different sizes of sports clubs and between clubs with and without their own facilities.
In this second phase, the clubs will also be provided with software that can be used to record and document the clubs' sustainability activities.
The clubs that actively participate in the second phase of the project and meet the minimum criteria yet to be established are to be awarded a sustainability seal for sports clubs in Bonn. Several sports clubs have already indicated that they are very interested in participating in this project.
The award of the seal is to be linked to financial support. As part of the upcoming revision of the side letter to the sports funding guidelines, the sports administration will take this up and develop a funding element for this purpose.
Biodiversity strategy
Cities and municipalities have an important role and responsibility in core tasks of our future provision such as nature and species conservation, the promotion of nature awareness or the issue of sustainable land use. The city of Bonn therefore developed its first biodiversity strategy a few years ago with the Biodiversity Action Program 2010 under the leadership of the Office for the Environment and Urban Greenery, which has been updated since 2021. The Sports and Baths Office is involved in the working group for updating and implementing the strategy and contributes ideas and suggestions. For example, to promote biodiversity at sports facilities in Bonn, the joint program of the SSB and the Sports and Baths Office supports sports clubs that would like to make a contribution on their grounds by creating flowering meadows, planting fruit trees or creating a garden where children are introduced to the topic of "nature-oriented garden design".
Exemplary sports clubs
BSV Roleber - 3rd prize at the Bonn 2024 Climate Prize
In addition to a wide range of different sporting activities, BSV Roleber from Bonn-Holzlar has also been committed to climate protection since 2023. The sustainability working group founded by the board and members shows that commitment on a small scale can make a big difference: Be it the switch to LED lighting, fair trade products in the club store or flower meadows and deadwood piles. In addition, a comprehensive sustainability concept was developed in order to continuously improve the club's CO2 footprint in the future.
1st Badminton Club Beuel 1955 e.V.
The new, energy-efficient and sustainable building was constructed as the club's own sports facility, the Hans-Riegel-Leistungszentrum (HRL). This is a center for badminton in Bonn, which serves both competitive and popular sports. The HRL is directly adjacent to the city's Erwin-Kranz-Halle and the club's own clubhouse.
The HRL has three storeys and a gross floor area of 648 m². On the first floor, there is a classroom for health and prevention sports including changing and sanitary facilities as well as an office space for the employees of 1. BC Beuel. On the 1st and 2nd floors, a total of 13 residential units were built for junior athletes. An elevator provides barrier-free access to the clubhouse and the stands. The sustainable construction method with a green roof, solar system and heat pump ensures significantly lower energy costs.
The HRL contributes to strengthening the sports facilities in Bonn and the sports facility infrastructure as well as ensuring the sporting success of 1. BC Beuel in the future. In addition, the HRL offers great potential for popular sports, particularly in the area of health and prevention sports.
The measure was subsidized with municipal sports funding of up to 243,000 euros.
FV Preußen Bonn
FV Preußen Bonn has been focusing on sustainability and climate friendliness in its activities for several years now. One example is the C2 youth team, which was given the opportunity by its shirt sponsor to support a charitable organization on its shirts. After joint consultation, the team chose the "Healthy Earth - Healthy People" foundation, which works to raise public awareness of the climate crisis.
Hertha Bonn e.V.
Hertha Bonn is committed to the sustainable use of resources in order to achieve the goals of the UN 2030 Agenda. The club has already taken a number of steps, such as dispensing with disposable tableware for catering, collecting and donating sports equipment and using fairly produced footballs.
In addition, club life, the construction of the clubhouse and the redesign of the pitch offer numerous opportunities to further promote sustainability. The "Hertha is becoming more sustainable" working group develops concepts and collects ideas from members.
Hertha Bonn was recognized for its sustainable projects and won the "WestDerby Zukunft" competition in the "medium-sized clubs" category. This underlines the comprehensive anchoring of sustainability in the club context. The award, which included prize money of 2,500 euros, is a further incentive for the club to continue its commitment to ecological and social sustainability.
Position paper of the focus group "Sustainability and sport in the West"
At the beginning of 2024, the City of Bonn was accepted as a supporter of the position paper of the "Sustainability and Sport in the West" focus group. The committee of 21 experts from the fields of sport and sustainability, which was founded as part of the RENN.west campaign "Goals need action" in 2021, is addressing the federal government with the paper to ensure that sport is more closely integrated into the German Sustainability Strategy as an actor, multiplier and driver of sustainable development. After all, sport is a key multiplier and driver of transformation - but it needs a constant tailwind from politics to unleash its full potential. Anchoring it in the DNA would be an important step towards strengthening these functions of sport.