Project Overground To Bring Trend Sports To Basel; Partial Border Reopenings; Police Rescue Ducks...Again

News Headlines For 12 May 2020

World Parkour champion Chris Marmat is the inspiration behind a 2500 square meter facility planned for Voltaplatz in Basel at the end of this year which will cater to trend sport enthusiasts.  In case you are not up on what a trend sport is these days, the facility plans to be a host for Parkour, Ninja Warrior, Tricking, Big Bounce and Chase Tag.  Not to be confused with an ordinary gym, the facility hopes to become the largest of its kind in Switzerland, and also eventually an Olympic training center for Parkour, which joins the line-up of Olympic Games in 2024.

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On Monday, in accordance with the relaxation of quarantine rules, the borders with Italy, Austria and France were reopened.  The borders had been closed since March 25, and the change will allow people to cross at 15 checkpoints in 8 different cantons.  For Baselers, the wait is a little longer to get into Germany.  Authorities report that crossing into Germany will not be allowed until May 15.

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It seems every year we report on a family of ducks nesting in public service buildings in Basel.  This year is no different.  The police station in Claraplatz had become the home to 11 hatchlings in a planter on the balcony.  Two of the babies managed to get themselves stuck in a drainpipe at which point the police mounted a rescue operation.  The ducks have been gathered up and will be relocated to a safer environment.