A sports field is not a golf course!

In the ORF programme "Bürgeranwalt", Ombudswoman Gaby Schwarz states: "Yes, golf is a ball sport. But the fact that golf balls regularly land in the gardens of neighbours is unreasonable. Not to mention the question of liability if a golf ball injures a person. According to case law, even when operating an official golf course, it is not even tolerable if a single golf ball lands on a neighbouring property. I call on the local authority to amend the house rules for the sports ground to the effect that golfing is specifically excluded."

The Ombudswoman also sees a need for changes to the current opening hours of the sports field from Monday to Sunday 10:00-20:00. "It is important to all of us that young people can do sport and use this space for exercise. But the needs of neighbouring residents for peace and relaxation must also be taken into account. I appeal to the municipality to close the sports field on Sundays and public holidays in order to reduce noise."

Enquiry: Partial success thanks to the Ombudsman's intervention at the Stammersdorf shooting range

Residents of the Stammersdorf shooting range complained to the Austrian Ombudsman Board about increasing noise. Since 2018, not only the Austrian Armed Forces but also the police have been carrying out shooting training with assault rifles there several days a week. A year ago, the case was covered by ORF's "Bürgeranwalt" programme. Now Ombudswoman Gaby Schwarz summarises the partial success that was achieved thanks to the intervention of the Ombudsman Board: "On the plus side, the shooting times have been reduced from five to two days. In addition, communication between the neighbours and the army has improved. On the negative side, however, police training with long guns is still taking place at the Stammersdorf firing range. According to the provincial police directorate, however, it is already being examined whether these exercises can be moved to a place that is not located in a residential area. So the will is there, a lot has already been achieved, but we'll keep at it."