Since September 2010, Gladbeck has had the longest LED-lit track in Germany.
A five-kilometer-long running track is illuminated in the Wittringer Forest. Here, residents and visitors to the city can jog, walk, Nordic walk or simply take a stroll.
The lighting is equipped with an automatic twilight switch and switches on from 6 a.m. and off again by 10 p.m.
Gladbeck responded to the increasing number of athletes in the city and the surrounding area. Especially during the dark winter months, the track is a pleasure for runners and a unique opportunity for working athletes.
In addition, the good visibility significantly reduces the risk of injury. The ground-level track is gentle on joggers' joints and is also perfect for inline skating.
The track is illuminated with 143 LED path lights and extends over a circular path and the path between the city center and Wittringen Castle.
The marathon track is also called the Ringallee. "The Ringallee creates ideal training conditions, also thanks to the connection to the sports facility in the stadium," reports recreational runner Marius Mai.
The LED lighting is the ideal solution for people and nature. The LED bulbs have a lifespan of 25 years and work very efficiently with great luminosity at 25 watts.
The animals are also not affected by the lamps, as they hardly produce any UV light or infrared radiation. This is another advantage for joggers: no insects are attracted to the light.
In addition to setting up the marathon track, the path around the Wittringer Schlossteich was redesigned and made completely barrier-free.
The investment in our future was financially supported with funds from the European Fund for Regional Development (ERDF) and from funds from the ecology program in the Emscher-Lippe region.