The "Sex-Wäldli" is easily accessible from the Kriessern SG rest area on the A13 highway in the Rhine Valley - ideal for people looking for quick sex in the open air. The municipality of Oberriet SG has little pleasure in this. The clearing of over 50 diseased trees in spring 2023 did not have the desired effect. And trees that pose a safety risk due to their condition will be felled again in winter 2026.

Mountain bikers are now to rid the Kriessener Wäldli of its dubious reputation. They are to build a trail center in the triangular piece of forest between the freeway, country road and the eastern edge of the village of Kriessern - according to the website of the local municipality of Kriessern, part of the political municipality of Oberriet SG. "The somewhat dingy reputation of the location has two advantages for us," explains Bruno Breitenmoser, bike store owner in Oberriet and president of the Trailcenter Kriessner Wälldli association, when asked, "Firstly, most people in the Rhine Valley know the location. Secondly, the local population supports the 'repurposing' of the site."

A triangle with a side length of a good 400 meters is available for this - an area of around 42,000 square meters. The association wants to create a kids' zone (green trails), several blue and red trails, an even more challenging tech trail and a jump line. The wooded area is mostly flat, with two run-up hills providing momentum for the trails and jumps. Strictly speaking, it is more of a skills area than a trail center. But the area is sure to be fun. For a longer downhill flow, there are numerous single trails on the slopes of the St. Gallen Rhine Valley.

There is also a Vita course in the forest - a fitness trail for non-Swiss people - which will not be affected by the trail center. Its paths are also to be closed to bike traffic, as Breitenmoser explained to a local newspaper.

No approval yet

The initiators estimate the construction costs at CHF 300,000. "We are working very closely with companies anchored in the region and can cover a large part of the costs through sponsorship," reveals Bruno Breitenmoser. The fact that, as a bike shop owner in Oberriet, he is part of the local business community should help to persuade other companies to make a financial commitment. "Nevertheless, we are still dependent on additional financial support," he admits. The municipality of Oberriet contributes a small part of the funding. The local municipality of Kriessern is making the site available free of charge.

No approval has yet been granted for the construction project, even though the project is presented online and in the local press as a done deal. It remains to be seen when the trail center in Kriessener Wäldli will go into operation. For the time being, it is simply an idea that has been approved by various parties. In order to give the wild animals a rest at night, no lighting is planned. After dark, the Wäldli will therefore continue to be left to its own devices. And as long as the trail center is not built anyway.