New boathouse for Potsdam Seesportclub: A milestone in the Babelsberg park!

New boathouse for Potsdam Seesportclub: A milestone in the Babelsberg park!

Last Saturday, June 27, 2025, a new chapter for the Potsdam Seesportclub was opened in the Park Babelsberg. After a key handover, the new club house is now ready to continue the club's traditional history. Christin Stockhaus, the chairwoman of the seaport club, did not miss the opportunity to personally accompany this significant moment and to present the new home for all leisure captains and water sports enthusiasts in Potsdam. In a colorful ceremony, the club's 70th anniversary was also celebrated, which is celebrated with one year late due to the circumstances.

The roots of the seaport club go back to the foundation in 1954. At that time, the old boathouse was built, which had to give way to a new concept in the summer of 2020. The demolition opened for a relocation of the Babelsberg lido, as a planned move of the club to another location failed due to a lack of space. Instead, the Seesportclub and Strandbad are now combined in a new common building complex, which brings with it both advantages and challenges.

changes in club life

With the redesign of the site, the area of ​​the seaport club was reduced from 5,500 to 2,000 square meters. The new boat hall measures only 170 square meters - a significant decline compared to the 480 square meters of the old house. The former hall with its 60 square meters also offers significantly less space than the once 125 square meter event area. The redesign of this area is accompanied by the bathing landscape as the operator of the lido, which was not unavoidable at the plot of land.

The costs for the conversions rose from originally one million euros to a total of nine million euros. Nevertheless, the castle foundation is optimistic: it plans to invest around 500,000 euros in the further reconstruction of the unique park landscape. The number of members of the seaport club remained constant at 100 during the renovation, which underlines the loyalty and commitment of the members. Among these are 35 active athletes in the boat department as well as around 40 children and adolescents who form the club's youngsters.

a proud tradition

The story of the Potsdam Seesportclub is remarkable. Founded as part of the Society for Sports and Technology (GST), the club not only brought many Potsdamers closer to sailing and rowing, but also organized a variety of events and competitions. Participation in the GDR championships in the 1950s shows the high priority of the club in the regional sports scene. Even today, the members benefit from this tradition and support from the Palace Foundation and the city.

Finally, it can be said that the Seesportclub Potsdam with its new home at the Babelsberg lido dares not only an innovative step into the future, but also preserves its historical importance as one of the oldest and most traditional water sports clubs in the region.