Danish Olympic Committee opens trail centres to encourage more active lifestyles

The Danish Olympic Committee (DIF) and Local and Infrastructure Fund have teamed up to develop and build a number of trail centers across the country. On Tuesday evening, a unique trail center opened in Silkeborg.

A trail center is a common meeting place for everyone who wants to be active in nature. A place that inspires exercise and sports, and which is the natural starting point for activities in the surrounding nature. The trail center is for both the sports associations and all those who want to do exercise and outdoor sports on their own.

For the time being, the plan is for five trail centers to open nationwide. The first trail center saw the light of day in Kolding in 2021, while the second was inaugurated with a big sports party last night, Tuesday 16 August in Silkeborg.

DIF’s chairman Hans Natorp attended the inauguration in Silkeborg. He said:

“Congratulations to everyone in Silkeborg. Congratulations to employees, to politicians, to sports associations and to all citizens of the municipality, who now benefit from a quite unique sports facility. The trail center in Silkeborg is only the second trail center for outdoor sports ever – not just in Denmark, but in the whole world,” says Hans Natorp. He continues:

“The idea for trail centers arose in DIF back in 2016. We could see an increasing interest in practicing sports and exercise in nature. In line with the increasing interest, we experienced an increasing need for facilities and meeting places for both associations and the self-organised. And I have to admit that it is a very special feeling and special joy to see how the idea from 2016 has now been realized.”

The trail center was built and financed in collaboration between DIF, Local and Infrastructure Fund and Silkeborg Municipality.

Photos : Claus Fisker
May be used for editorial mention of trail centres.