WHAT'S NEW!? #31 - VILLACH IN OCTOBER 2023

The welcome2villach team collects the most important news from around Villach in a compact, monthly “News Story”, with links to more information. In October, there are some updates regarding the completion and commencement of various construction projects in Villach. The city is proud to receive new awards, and the annual civil defense and drill alarm are approaching.

• Quarter project "Max Palais" completed on time: Despite challenging conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine conflict, and rising inflation, the multi-generational project near the main train station was completed within the planned time frame. The construction costs increased from the initially estimated 50 million euros to nearly 60 million euros. The project, which combines kindergartens, senior care facilities, apartments, commercial spaces, and parking decks, is expected to be fully finalized in 2024. An outpatient primary care center will be set up on approximately 600 square meters of ready-to-use commercial space.
   
• Fire department and community center under one roof soon: In November, the eco-friendly new building in Perau, which will house both the fire department and the community center in the future, will be inaugurated. This barrier-free showcase building with dual use solves space issues and sets standards in terms of sustainability by enabling synergies in areas such as heating technology and air conditioning. A total of approximately 3.6 million euros were invested.
   
• Construction begins for educational project: The groundbreaking ceremony for a modern educational campus took place at the tpv Technology Park Villach. The project is financed by the city of Villach and implemented by the Non-Profit Personnel Service Carinthia (GPS) on behalf of AMS Carinthia. The campus will be used by Infineon, bfi, and Wifi to offer digital apprenticeship training and professional development courses and is expected to be completed by autumn 2024.

• A happy city: In the global Happy City Index, where 1,000 cities were compared by the London Institute of Quality of Life, Villach achieved a top position. The city was ranked fourth in Austria, almost on par with Vienna, Bregenz, and Linz, and even made it into the top 100 worldwide. This award is the latest of four national and international recognitions bestowed upon the city since the beginning of the year.
   
• VCÖ Mobility Award for Villach: Villach was honored for its successful "BUS:SI" campaign and the expansion of public transportation during the VCÖ Mobility Award Carinthia 2023. The city's efforts to enhance public transportation through the introduction of a comprehensive 30-minute interval service, improved transfer options, an extensive information campaign, and a dedicated Info Point at Hans-Gasser Square were recognized. The significantly increased passenger numbers demonstrate that Villach is moving in the right direction and has improved public transportation in the city.
   
• Annual drill and civil defense alarm: Don't worry if you hear sirens in the Villach city area on Saturday, October 7th, from 12 to 1 p.m.! There's no danger imminent; it's simply the annual civil defense and drill alarm being conducted on that day to test the functionality of the sirens for emergencies.
   
• Events: October promises to be an extraordinary month for events, catering to culture enthusiasts, sweet-toothed individuals, and crime fiction fans alike. From October 4th to the 15th, Villach will host the thrilling Krimi Fest Kärnten, where top German writing crime authors will read from their works. On October 7th, ORF invites everyone to the annual “Lange Nacht der Museen” (Long Night of Museums), and from October 13th to 14th, exciting lectures and workshops in German will take place at the Hotel Warmbaderhof as part of the Paul Watzlawick Tage. The sweet highlight of October is the ART & CIOCC Chocolate Festival, happening from October 25th to 29th at Villach’s Hauptplatz.