Salzburg plans 60 million euro centre for children and teenagers

Salzburg’s government has presented plans for a 60 million euro replacement building for the Social-Pedagogical Centre in Salzburg-Taxham, ORF reported. The new centre will bring together care, therapy, medical services and crisis intervention for children and teenagers, while expanding the services currently facing long waiting lists.

The existing building was constructed in 1955 and currently serves around 60 children with challenging life circumstances or developmental disorders such as autism. “At the Institute for Special Education, the current waiting time for an initial consultation is nine months,” centre director Petra Wörthner said.

The ageing building no longer meets current requirements. Some rooms have already had to close, reducing the space available for daily work with the children, Wörthner said.

The existing building will be completely demolished to make way for the new centre. The design aims to preserve the grounds and as many of the mature trees as possible, both to maintain a pleasant environment and to provide protection from heat. The new building will house the Institute for Special Education, medical services and crisis intervention.

The project is expected to cost 60 million euros. The state of Salzburg will provide 41 million euros and the federal government 19 million euros. Completion is planned for the first quarter of 2030.