A BMX champion and his childhood dreams.
Intro
Roger Rinderknecht turned a dream into reality when he created the Skills Park in the bike city of Winterthur.
Winterthur.
Winterthur is a treasure trove of art, history and nature. The medieval heart of the city is full of life no matter what the time of day. Shops, restaurants, markets and festivals bring the charming Old Town to life and provide a meeting place for locals, visitors and businesspeople alike. Being a city small enough to get around conveniently while also having a big-city atmosphere makes Winterthur a popular destination.
Hint
“I of course also have a normal bike,” says Roger Rinderknecht, “but cycling is more fun on my BMX.” Even as a child, there was just this one bike for him; no other compared. His dream was to be a BMX champion.
That this came true is clear when Roger Rinderknecht cycles through the city. Or rather, when he flies. The jump at the former Stadthaus town house – where one of the most traditional orchestras in Europe is playing today – is a chance to see the World Championship winner and four-time runner-up in action in the discipline of four cross. Obstacles that cyclists normally avoid are what he loves. He shows this as we head through the old town with the biggest continuous pedestrian zone in Switzerland, with any obstacles simply a sporting challenge. It is not advisable to try to follow him!
The edge of the fountain at the Swiss Science Center Technorama is almost calling to me, but I will only go on that if I am alone.
The bike city of Winterthur is very important to Roger Rinderknecht. So, he is truly delighted that he was able to make his second dream come true: a place for young and old to have fun.
“I always wanted a place like this when I was a child.” Roger Rinderknecht
Skills Park.
That something like this is needed has become even clearer since he himself had children. Following retirement from elite sport around five years ago, Rinderknecht finally found the time to tackle the project.
Together with his partner Edina Banyoczki, he developed the concept and plan for a leisure park as has never been seen before. They found what they were after in the Sulzer Areal, a former industrial site that is today a trendy area with cafés, design shops and universities. A huge construction: Sulzer Hall 193.
6,000 m2 over two floors – that’s the Skills Park.
The big air jump area, street skating facility, trampoline zone, ball sports arena, fitness and power zone as well as an indoor play area for the little ones make the recently opened Skills Park one of the top travel attractions in Winterthur. Here, amateur athletes train alongside professionals from around the world. The great success of this – the largest indoor arena for action and grass roots sport in Europe – has inspired Roger Rinderknecht to dream bigger. But his next dream is still a secret.
From industrial area to trendy neighbourhood. What is now a prime site for skateboarding, drinking a coffee or studying, was a forbidden city until the late 1980s: the Sulzer Brothers industrial park.
Sulzer Areal.
Access was strictly prohibited to all except the 14,000 who worked in these enormous manufacturing halls. Day and night, the area was guarded by six porters. The Porter’s Lodge is a reminder of this past. Today it houses a small, delightful café. Following the decline of the machinery industry in Winterthur, the area became one of the top development sites of the city – and a hip district. The exciting mix of old, repurposed industrial warehouses and modern developments have transformed this area in a special way.