The WaltherPark is open – “A place of diversity and gathering for everyone”

Great turnout at the inauguration of WaltherPark! Already in the early morning hours, hundreds of residents gathered in front of the stage at the station park entrance to attend the welcome speeches and the blessing. Immediately afterward, the shopping gallery was literally overwhelmed. In the evening, two spectacular light shows are scheduled (at 7:30 PM and 8:30 PM), while until Sunday, numerous surprises await visitors inside the stores as well.

On Friday evening at 7:30 PM, the new scenographic fountains in the new Station Park will be activated for the first time. Every day until Sunday evening, activities for children, a “Speaker’s Corner,” artistic projects, music, and much more will be available both in the gallery and in the over 80 shops and at the Bolzano Central Market.

Here, there are 23 gastronomic points offering a wide variety of specialties. In the Salewa Cube boulder hall, lively climbing sessions will be held, complemented by performances on all three floors of the gallery.
WaltherPark will be open every day (including weekends) from 9:30 AM to 7:30 PM; the Central Market and sports facilities on the second floor will stay open until 11 PM. The inauguration of the “new urban neighborhood, the new WaltherPark destination” began on Thursday at 9:30 AM with remarks from WaltherPark President Thibault Chavanat, the team, the property represented by the Schoeller family, and Heinz Peter Hager, along with numerous authorities and partners such as Letizia Cantini (CEO and partner of Svicom), Gabriele Villa (general director of Esselunga), and others. Svicom SpA Benefit Corporation is the asset & property manager of the WaltherPark complex. Cantini thanked “the owners for their trust and for sharing with us a vision focused on innovation, sustainability, and efficiency. With our integrated and multidisciplinary approach to real estate services, we have helped create a model of contemporary urban real estate development, to benefit those who live, work, and visit this new city landmark.”

Gabriele Villa recalled that Esselunga, previously present in South Tyrol only as a “customer,” distributes over 1,000 local products in its stores. The supermarket in WaltherPark is the first in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. The fashion brand Peek & Cloppenburg is opening in Italy for the first time at WaltherPark. Sales director Neofit Vasilev stated: “Charm, joy of living, and style are at home here at WaltherPark and Bolzano – just like in our fashion philosophy.”

Other local operators such as Günther Rohregger (Günther Gelato) and Daniel Tocca (Kauri Store and Südtirol Shop) sent their greetings to the public on behalf of all the operators in WaltherPark. Stefano Corrado, the Construction Manager of the project, recounted the intense years of development and thanked all involved parties for their contributions to the final success.
Dean Bernhard Holzer performed a blessing, citing the prophet Jeremiah, wishing that WaltherPark become a “place of well-being for the city, diversity, meeting, work, leisure, living, and nature.” Immediately after, with the symbolic ribbon-cutting, the gallery was officially opened to the public.

Pre-opening with institutional representatives and partners

On the eve of the inauguration, owners Christoph Schoeller and President Thibault Chavanat, along with the team, organized a private ceremony with invited guests. Schoeller expressed gratitude to the Municipality of Bolzano, the Provincial Council, citizens, and relevant authorities for “the courage and vision that made this innovative neighborhood possible.” He also thanked his “excellent team,” financial partners, construction companies, and many others.
Mayor Claudio Corrarati and Deputy Mayor Stephan Konder emphasized the spirit of collaboration and pragmatism that characterized the long six-year development phase, even during the most difficult moments. A video narrated the construction history from 2019. Heinz Peter Hager, founder of WaltherPark, expressed pride in completing the project and in the presence of those who had previously expressed doubts: “It’s important that they are here today as well.”
The project was first presented in 2014, when Mayor Luigi Spagnolli was in charge of Bolzano, now a Senator of the Republic. The Municipality examined the project carefully, establishing clear rules: “It was not the private sector that took over the city; it was the city that put its hand in the private’s pocket” – a reference to public investments of around 100 million euros and infrastructure regeneration.
WaltherPark President Chavanat highlighted “the harmony of WaltherPark” – present in the proportions, in the variety of offerings, in the balance between public and private spaces, in the coexistence of different functions, and in the relationship between the neighborhood and the city. “Harmony survives through generations,” he said, thanking
During the pre-opening, representatives of the shops also took the floor: Javier Goyeneche (founder of the Spanish brand ECOALF) spoke about the sustainable production process based on recycled materials. Janina Graus (Pfiff Toys) highlighted that WaltherPark is a “meeting place, life, and shopping,” in line with the mission of bringing joy to children.
Isabelle Dufieux, Creative Director of the French studio Saguez and Partners and responsible for the interior design of WaltherPark, explained the concept behind the materials and shapes inspired by the surrounding environment. Dutch artist Sabine Marcelis created the installation “Alpenglow,” a piece that reinterprets the glow of Catinaccio, inspired by its sunset colors.
According to Brand Director Stefan Zublasing, “bringing the mountains into the city” is also the concept behind the Salewa Cube boulder structure on the second floor. Veronica Covi of Virgin Active enthusiastically announced the opening of her sports club on November 22.
For the inauguration of the Bolzano/Bozen Central Market, President Umberto Montano and Director Jasmin Ladurner were supported by the greeting of the Provincial Assessor for Tourism and Agriculture, Luis Walcher, who expressed hope that not only gastronomic excellence will be appreciated, but that the location will become a true meeting place.