The workout is more fun for many recreational athletes on the meadow than on sports fields. This is also allowed in most parks - with different rules for commercial providers.
Dresden (dpa / sn) - jogging, yoga, boot camp exercises or Tai Chi: Sport in public parks or green areas is common in Saxony's large cities. The rules for commercial sports or fitness courses are different, according to a survey by the German Press Agency. While no special permit is required for this in Leipzig, things are different in Dresden and Chemnitz.
With consideration for other park users and careful handling of the parks in Leipzig, “everyone can do sports in public green spaces and be instructed by a booked trainer alone or in a group,” said a city spokeswoman. For sound reinforcement, the construction of larger equipment and more than 50 participants, however, an agreement is required.
In Chemnitz, all special uses that go beyond private projects, including sporting events, must be registered or possibly approved. According to the city administration, this includes the company run in Küchwald and the company hiking day this year. In the "Move the City" project, yoga and other courses are offered in various facilities. "However, these are completely free of charge for those who are interested and have been registered with the Green Spaces Office."
You could also take part in the "Tanz Moderne Tanz" festival at the Chemnitz Theater and there are always competitions in streetball, skating and breakdance on the Konkordiaplatz. They are organized by associations and are not commercial. The parks office is not aware of any other sports activities and they are either being carried out without permission or are "private gatherings of sports fans," said a city spokeswoman.
In Dresden, the Office for City Green and Waste Management has identified overuse and thus damage to public parks and green spaces. The use of "the scarce resource of public green space" for commercial use requires official control, it said. This is the only way that competing user interests can be brought into balance. A statute regulates permits and fees and ensures the protection of municipal public green spaces and recreational facilities.
However, the city conceded that it was not possible to monitor and possibly sanction the offers across the board. At the latest since the corona pandemic, the number of sports and exercise offers in public spaces has increased. At various locations, public facilities for individual private sport have been created, the use of which is free. An exception is a weekly workout session that emerged from the health department's "Fit im Park" project. A sports provider is provided with a lawn area for a fee for a limited time.
The Dresden Great Garden is an Eldorado for joggers. However, organized sport is strictly prohibited there, and requests are not approved. "The Great Garden is not a sports facility, nor is it a classic public park," said Yvonne Aulhorn, director of the palace. As a garden monument, the former Royal Great Garden of Dresden is a cultural asset worthy of protection and preservation. Only the Dresden Marathon, the route of which has led through the area for many years, is carried out on the main paved avenues.
