The Gdynia Sports Centre, which is being built around a retention basin in Witomino, will be the largest park of its kind in the city. The investment will include a sports zone, playgrounds and a pedestrian and roller track. The area will soon be transformed beyond recognition thanks to the ideas of the district council and the projects of the Gdynia Civic Budget.
“This part of Witomin will be transformed in an extraordinary way. Thanks to the cooperation of the residents, the involvement of the District Council and the Gdynia Sports Centre, we will soon see the concrete results of these projects. The effect of the synergy of forces and resources should exceed all expectations, giving this place a unique expression and beauty,” says the Mayor of Gdynia WojciechSzczurek
The area near the reservoir built in 2020 is undergoing a remarkable metamorphosis. The planned implementation of the winning projects from the Citizens’ Budget of 2020, 2021 and 2023 envisages thorough changes and the creation of a modern and safe space, adapted to the needs of children, young people, adults and people with disabilities.
“This will be a special space on the map of Gdynia. The new place for active relaxation will serve residents of many generations. The entire implementation will meet the highest standards and will certainly appeal to the residents, not only of Witomin,” comments Gdynia’s Deputy Mayor for Development Marek Łucyk.
The planned investment involves a multi-faceted transformation of a currently undeveloped area. The prepared project envisages the creation of a recreational and sports area with a network of footpaths and diverse vegetation, including in particular trees and shrubs. The area has been divided into different zones, taking into account their purpose, type of activity and expected users.
Due to its complexity, the implementation of the investment has been divided into 3 implementation phases. The first two will be implemented this year. The first stage involves the construction of a modern football pitch with synthetic turf and the creation of a play and recreation park with a division for older and younger children, including trampolines and a tyrolean, which is the implementation of projects by Ms Jolanta Prorok (2020) and Ms Ewa Wiśniewska (2021).
The second phase of the project will involve the construction of a pedestrian and roller-skating route, which will connect the designed playground zones, sports zone and recreation zone with the existing access and service access to the retention tank, as requested by Ms Jolanta Prorok in the winning project submitted in 2023.
The two phases to be tendered will be complemented by the necessary technical infrastructure, new lighting, pedestrian routes and elements of small architecture such as bins and benches. The surroundings will be filled with a variety of greenery. The space will be adapted for people with special needs.
“The changes in this part of the neighbourhood will be the result of the work of many people, in particular a working group of several people, which we formed with Agnieszka Klawikowska, Daniel Kure and Jolanta Prorok. Together we put in a great deal of work and time to consult the proposed concepts with the designers. Together, we worked out the solutions that make up the main investment of this term of office of the Witomino District Council. Without the district’s budget, it would not have been possible to implement these ideas. Not everything can be implemented now, but we are not saying the last word yet,” says Joanna Ołownia, Chairwoman of the Witomino District Council.
The third stage, to be implemented in the future, will be possible once appropriate funding has been secured. It involves the creation of a beach volleyball pitch, a court and a field with a tennis wall, an outdoor gym with equipment for seniors and additional technical infrastructure, footpaths and small architectural features such as benches, bins, bicycle racks, an outdoor library, chess tables and an outdoor stage.
The multi-million pound investments are contributing to a significant transformation of the neighbourhood’s landscape, changing the face of the district and creating new, attractive spaces for residents. Chwarznieńska Street is being rebuilt, Hodowlana Street has been renovated, and recent years have seen the creation of, among other things, a reservoir and a modern Neighbourhood Haven.
“Witomino has undergone an incredible transformation in recent years. This totals more than 100 million zlotys, leading to a change for years to come. Investments, such as the development of the area next to the recently created reservoir on the 2nd Marine Regiment of Riflemen, are like the last cuts in a diamond. I believe that the transformation of this place will serve thousands of people every day, and the proximity of, among others, Primary School No. 12 will encourage lessons outside the walls of the school,” concludes Jakub Ubych, Vice-Chairman of the Gdynia City Council, who comes from the western part of the city
In the case of the first two stages, funding for the design documentation and construction works amounting to PLN 1,376,824.00 comes from the Gdynia Civic Budget (PLN 526,000.00 in the 2020 edition, PLN 420,824.00 in the 2021 edition, PLN 430,000.00 in the 2023 edition) and PLN 1,188,000.00 from the Witomino District Council. This reflects the key role of the involvement of the local community and district authorities in the development of urban infrastructure. These significant investments aim to transform the district’s landscape, creating new, attractive spaces for its residents and improving the quality of life in the community. To date, the scope of the design documentation has been funded, amounting to £91,758.00. It was carried out by Atelier Harmoza Sp. z o. o., based in Gdynia. How do you like the Gdynia Sports Centre?
source: Gdynia Sports Centre / www.gdynia.pl
visualisations: Atelier Harmoza / http://atelier.harmoza.pl/
Read also: Architecture in Poland | Places, Squares, Parks | Gdynia | whiteMAD on Instagram | Ecology | Sport