Presentación del Proyecto Bilboko Herri Kirol Zentroa en Txurdinaga

The Mayor of Bilbao, Juan Mari Aburto, and the Deputy for Basque, Culture and Sports of the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, Leixuri Arrizabalaga, presented this morning the project Bilboko Herri Kirol Zentroa, the first professional training center for Basque rural sports in Euskadi, which will be located at the municipal sports center of Txurdinaga. Also present at the unveiling of this «first stone» were the Councilor for Youth and Sports of the City of Bilbao, Itxaso Erroteta; the Sports Director of the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, Carlos Sergio; the General Director of Bilbao Kirolak, Marcos Muro; and the President of the Bizkaina Federation of Herri Kirolak, Juan Miguel Ranero.

The new sports facility with 846 square meters of surface area will feature a multipurpose court, adapted toilet-changing rooms, physiotherapy room, reception-office area and technical rooms. It will also have a pedestrian access to the municipal sports center of Txurdinaga and another for vehicles. The budget allocated by the Bilbao City Council for the project is 1,367,621.50 euros (including VAT) and has received a grant of 229,675 euros from the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia.

“Bilboko Herri Kirol Zentroa aims to become a reference center for the development and professionalization of Herri Kirola, reinforcing the City Council’s commitment to strategic sports at both the national and city levels. These sports also speak of customs and tradition, forming part of the cultural richness and Basque identity.” This is how the Mayor of Bilbao, Juan Mari Aburto, defined the new sports facility, with construction expected to begin in late spring.

The new multidisciplinary pavilion will be located on the grounds of the municipal sports center of Txurdinaga and will be managed by the first Herri Kirolak sports club in Bilbao, Bilboko Txirrika Herri Kirol Kluba, with the support and collaboration of Bilbao Kirolak.

The new sports facility with 846 square meters of surface area will feature a multipurpose court, adapted toilet-changing rooms, physiotherapy room, reception-office area and technical rooms. It will also have a pedestrian access to the municipal sports center of Txurdinaga and another for vehicles. The budget allocated by the Bilbao City Council for the project is 1,367,621.50 euros (including VAT) and has received a grant of 229,675 euros from the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia.

On her part, the Deputy for Basque, Culture and Sports of the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, Leixuri Arrizabalaga, stated that “with this new sports facility, we will centralize the training of athletes and the different modalities of Herri Kirolak in the heart of Bizkaia. It will serve as a reference for the sports community involved in rural sports and will facilitate and improve the attention to athletes. A center that will complement the rest of the sports facilities spread throughout the geography of Bizkaia and will serve to boost and bring together, in the same space, the different modalities of Herri Kirolak.”

BILBOKO HERRI KIROL ZENTROA

The construction work will cover a total area of 2,286 square meters, of which 846 square meters will be in the pavilion itself, with additional work planned for the implementation of supply networks and adjacent paving to the new sports facility. The center will also have direct access for vehicles, as well as pedestrian access to the municipal sports center of Txurdinaga. Bilboko Herri Kirol Zentroa will have:

• Multipurpose court: the entire floor of the pavilion will be open, allowing for the simultaneous practice of several sports.
  
  Harrijasotzea/stone lifting
  
  Sokatira/tug-of-war
  
  Trontza/log cutting
  
  Aizkora/axe
  
  Lasto jasotzea/hay bale lifting
  
  Lasto botatzea/hay bale throwing
  
  Ingude jasotzea/anvil lifting
  
  Txinga Erutea/txinga transport
  
  Zaku Eramatea/sack race
  
  Orga Jokoa/cart lifting
  
  Lokotx Biltzea/corn cob gathering
• Adapted toilet-changing rooms: a unisex, adapted toilet-changing room will be located on the ground floor for people with mobility issues.
• Physiotherapy room: a small space for a physiotherapy room will be set up on the ground floor.
• Reception-office area: the office on the first floor will serve as an information, control, and reception point for the center.
• Technical rooms: another space above the office will house the ventilation and air conditioning facilities.

BILBOKO TXIRRIKA HERRI KIROL KLUBA

Bilboko Herri Kirol Zentroa will be managed by the first Herri Kirolak sports club in Bilbao, Bilboko Txirrika Herri Kirol Kluba, with the aim of promoting the practice of the different disciplines of Basque rural sports among the citizens.

Through the club, Bilboko Herri Kirol Zentroa will offer a program of activities segmented by age groups. The first block will be dedicated to sports in schools, in which educational centers in Bilbao will participate with the collaboration of the Bizkaina Federation of Adapted Sports for inclusive activities. The second block will focus on federated sports and will offer specific training in the different disciplines by qualified sports technical staff.

The goal of the school is to nurture young talent through the sports in schools program and to have professional athletes trained at the first school of Herri Kirolak in Bilbao compete in the highest categories of Basque rural sports.

SPORT STRATEGIC PLAN 2025-2028

Last Thursday, Bilbao Kirolak presented the Sport Strategic Plan 2025-2028 with its main axes, programs, and activities that provide an effective and widely recognized general framework both within the institution and among the agents that make up the sports ecosystem of the city. Precisely, the Bilbao Kirolak Community axis includes Bilboko Herri Kirol Zentroa.

The Sport Strategic Plan 2025-2028 of the City of Bilbao will promote the strategic sports of Bilbao -pelota, rowing, herri kirolak, rugby, and cycling- with the aim of promoting and disseminating the practice and development of disciplines that are part of the identity and sports tradition of the city.

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