The project „Zabrze – the City as Space for Development” has been inaugurated

The Historical Room of Zabrze City Hall at No. 1 Religi Street hosted the conference inaugurating „Zabrze – the City as Space for Development” project funded from „The Local Development” program, co-funded from the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 and the state budget. The project is performed in our city in partnership with Silesian University of Technology and in collaboration with the advisors from the Union of Polish Cities.

At the meeting attended by Małgorzata Mańka-Szulik, the City President and, without limitation, Katarzyna Dzióba, Deputy City President, Małgorzata Giela the City Secretary, heads of Zabrze City Office Departments, Gabriela Pudlo-Chojnacka Chair of PGBiPH „POCH” Ltd., Zbigniew Barecki, Chairman of PG DEMEX Sp. z o.o. Tomasz Masoń, member of Górnik Zabrze Management Board, Agnieszka Pluskota Chair of Górnik Zabrze, Women Sports Club, the most important information on the project performance was presented. The investments that will be made thanks to the Norwegian funds will include, without limitation: two brine graduation towers, a water playground and a skatepark.

– We have inaugurated the project „Zabrze – the city as space for development” together with the entrepreneurs, students, seniors and youth of Zabrze. The Norwegian funds that we have obtained in the amount PLN 15 million will enable us to accomplish the projects and investments developed upon consultations, including, without limitation: a water playground, a skatepark and two brine graduation towers  –Małgorzata Mańka-Szulik, the City President commented. – The project will include, in addition to the infrastructural actions, the organization of numerous interesting meetings and events dedicated, without limitation, to youth, students and seniors. The Norwegian funds will also be assigned for the further development of the startup system. It is worth emphasising that the Norwegian grants award is the effect of intensive work of a group of officials whom I cordially thank for their commitment and effectiveness  – the President of Zabrze added.

The Metallurgical Park will be renovated. It will be refreshed and enriched with street furniture. This is the location for the upcoming water playground and skatepark. Thanks to the investment, the Metallurgical Park will be an excellent family pastime place.

The brine graduation towers will be constructed in Kończyce and Maciejów as part of the project “Zabrze – the City as Space for Development. The Registry Office in Zabrze will be adapted for the demands of people with disabilities. The architectural barriers in the building will be removed.

The non-investment, so-called “soft” tasks include without limitation active attitude activities – a block for children, youth and families and the “Vitality Academy” and the project “Stay with us at the weekend” to serve the integration of local community.

Furthermore, some generally available educational events, such as outdoor activities or ecological events will be conducted in the city. Such events will contribute to the protection of the elements of environment that are necessary for our life disseminating the knowledge and promoting good practices among the population.

Among the main targets of the project „Zabrze – the City as space for development” the following are worth mentioning: the improvement of the quality of life in the city by means of better economic and social potential of the city, the environment quality and the urban space quality, the improvement of the cohesion of actions and growth of the inhabitants’ trust to public institutions, creating standards of modern public service provision and improvement of the institutional capacities of the city administration.

In addition to the material effects of the project performance, the intangible ones will also be noticeable, including, without limitation: intensification of the city development through expansion of city specialisations, consolidation of the population integration, increasing their environmental awareness, making urban space more attractive and simultaneously increasing the number of initiatives for active pastimes in the “new” urban space. The basic actions of the project in this scope are to initiate the process of economic, social and environmental changes in the city.

The project will be performed until the 30th April, 2024.

The maximum total qualifiable costs covered by the project amount to: PLN 15 328 498,86.

Co-funding: EUR  3 371 346,00.