Salzburg schools race to finish summer construction projects

Construction work is at its peak at several schools in Salzburg while students are still on holiday, ORF reports. Renovations and extensions are under way in Unken and Zell am See in the Pinzgau region, Dorfgastein in the Pongau region and the city of Salzburg.

In Unken, an extension that began last week will provide two new classrooms, a cloakroom and space for afternoon childcare. The Pinzgau municipality is investing almost 2.5 million euros in the project.

The largest project is under way in Zell am See, where the primary school and music middle school are being comprehensively renovated at a cost of 15 million euros. Up to 70 people are working on the construction site at the same time, making it the city’s biggest construction project in 20 years.

Teachers had long considered the renovation overdue. Several classrooms were closed during the previous school year because of suspected mould spores, although tests did not show elevated levels. The temporary closure of the primary school and the music section had also been considered. The music middle school building is due to be completed in September, while the primary school will move to a temporary container school in the Schüttdorf district for the coming school year.

In Dorfgastein, an extension next to the primary school is being built to provide permanent space for childcare, which had recently operated from temporary locations. The roof of the sports hall will also become an outdoor area for children. The new building is scheduled for final completion at the beginning of 2027.

At the technical middle school in Salzburg’s Elisabeth-Vorstadt district, the sports hall is being fully renovated this summer. It is one of eight summer construction projects at city schools, with total costs of about 2 million euros.