Water world
Wrocławski Park Wodny, a state-of-the-art water sports-and-recreation facility, is finally getting close to its opening day. The complex, located on a 38,600-sqm plot in Wrocław, will offer 2,365 sqm of H2O-oriented space featuring two multi-lane pools - one over 250 sqm in area and the other over 500 sqm, equipped with a jury box and spectator stands - dozens of recreational pools (heated and unheated, indoor and outdoor) and a complex of diving boards and slides.
Visitors will also enjoy modern spa and sauna amenities, along with the largest fitness center in the city (with separate areas for men and women), a wellness center, beach volleyball court, and several dining and entertainment areas to seat close to 300 people - including a beach-club bar and discotheque.
"The main difference between our project and other water parks on the market is the sheer scale of the Wrocław complex," declares Krzysztof Kiniorski, director of the Wrocławski Park Wodny company - an independent entity created for the purposes of the investment. "On the Polish market, the term 'aquapark' can refer to complexes of one or two pools, a few slides and perhaps a sauna. Our facility, on the other hand, will offer an extensive range of different features - from dozens of pools of various sizes and functions, diving boards and slides, to complex fitness, spa and entertainment facilities," he explains.
The company began construction in spring of 2005 and was scheduled to complete the job earlier this year, however delays in construction have pushed the completion date to July. The company attributes the delay to what it calls the shoddy performance of the initial shell-and-core contractor, which pulled out having completed 80 percent of the project. This effectively set the project's timeline back by a year, as much of the work was performed inefficiently and had to be re-evaluated. As a result, two new contractors (Vetter and Funk) were appointed and a series of repairs effected before proceeding with subsequent construction phases. The facility will undergo a series of tests before it officially opens.
"Construction initiatives for watersport and recreational facilities in Poland are remarkably valuable, especially in light of the insufficient supply of quality parks in comparison to our neighbors in Germany or the Czech Republic. There, the local sports culture has flourished," opines Kiniorski. "Currently, the supply of swimming pools in Wrocław provides a ratio of roughly one pool per 100,000 residents, which leads me to the brazen assumption that the project will be met with a great deal of interest. Also, I hope that the construction of such comprehensive facilities will revive both the recreational and professional culture of swimming in Poland."
Lublin and Szczecin are said to be following Wrocław's example with large-scale water-park projects of their own. These plans, however, are currently stalled by disputes regarding financing between potential investors and local authorities, who want to limit their share of the nine-figure investments and instead offer incentives for developers to bear the entire burden of the investment in exchange for permission to build lucrative commercial areas.
