Gratkorn has officially opened its new €4.8 million educational complex on Felberstraße, creating vital new spaces for the community’s youngest residents and easing the pressing childcare crunch for working parents and single parents, meinbezirk.at reported.
A Municipal Response to Stricter Mandates
The facility houses the Löwenzahl kindergarten and the Pusteblume nursery, built directly on the site of the former Puntigam sawmill. The project was launched after the municipal council voted unanimously in 2024 to construct a brand-new facility in response to legally mandated, step-by-step reductions in maximum kindergarten group sizes.
Stark Arithmetic Behind the Investment
Michael Feldgrill pointed to the stark arithmetic driving the municipality’s decision. Gratkorn routinely carried an average waiting list of 24 children, representing 24 families lacking guaranteed care slots, prior to the new construction. Had the town attempted to absorb the stricter group-size caps without building, that waiting list would have ballooned to 70 children.
“Das ist kein Ziel, das wir in Gratkorn verfolgen,” Mayor Feldgrill said.
Sustainable Architecture and Wood Design
Designed by the architect duo Arthur Steiner and Vanessa de Beer, the predominantly wooden building incorporates modern environmental systems, including a rooftop photovoltaic array, geothermal heating via a heat exchanger, and battery storage. The geothermal system provides both heating in winter and cooling during hot summer days.
Grants Cover Half of Investment Costs
Total investment costs reached €4.8 million, with half of the funding secured through regional, federal, and European Union grants. Feldgrill noted that without this financial backing, the project could not have moved forward.
Political Figures Attend Opening of New Facility
The opening ceremony featured musical performances by the children, while Deacon Franz Kink blessed the facility. The event drew prominent political figures, including National Council members Ernst Gödl and Karin Greiner, alongside State Parliament member Markus Konrad.
With the doors now open, the facility accommodates all children whose parents registered a need, while retaining the structural capacity to open an additional group if local bottlenecks arise.
