Kunsteisbahn Grabengut

The Kunsteisbahn Grabengut sits in the Grabengut quarter of Thun. Built in 1959 to replace a football pitch, the ground has spent more than six decades as a home for ice sports. It is not a modern glass box; it serves as the home venue for the EHC Thun ice hockey team and the Bomo Thun women's team.

What makes this place distinct is the tension between its open-air roots and the upcoming closure. The facility features both an indoor hall and an outdoor rink, with an artificial ice surface maintained by mechanical refrigeration. For years, the outdoor rink has been a fixture, but the future is being reshaped by a major comprehensive renovation approved by the Thun population in February 2022. The project, known by the name "Polo," faces delays due to cost overruns and supply chain issues, pushing the official groundbreaking to April 15, 2025. The plan involves enclosing the main ice rink with a new roof structure to create a modern indoor arena, adding new locker rooms and a glazed entrance hall. The iconic existing roof structure and the outdoor ice rink are preserved, ensuring the site retains its character.

The capacity for ice hockey events is listed as 1,500 spectators, though historical contexts or standing room may have allowed for up to 2,500. The renovation emphasizes sustainability, incorporating waste heat recovery from ice production and approximately 500 square meters of photovoltaic panels on the roof. The facility is scheduled to reopen in phases, with the hall expected to be operational by Autumn 2025. The Canton of Bern contributed approximately 1.6 million CHF from the sports fund. No specific attendance record figures were found, but the community has shown its support through the approval process. The address is Grabenstrasse 8, 3600 Thun. The facility is sometimes referred to descriptively as the Eissportzentrum Grabengut in municipal planning documents.