Privilege of river towns – Backa Palanka plans to build rowing course, marine, sports and recreation center, aqua park and hotels on Danube

A rowing course, a marine, an aqua park, wellness hotels, pile dwellings, a camp, a stadium and sports courts will bring both domestic and foreign tourists to Backa Palanka, as well as those who travel along the river.

Current erosion problem along the river bank in protected area of nature park Tikvar and town’s beach could seriously harm the bank, and possibly wash away soil layers. This fact imposed a problem to authorities of Backa Palanka and provided an opportunity to pay attention to whole river bank and the area behind it, with all its contents.

Recently finished "General Project on Development of Sports and Recreation Center Tikvar and Coastal Area in Backa Palanka", signed by "Hidrozavod DTD" and Design Office DBA, presents analysis of current conditions on the river bank and offers several solutions for the area of exceptional quality.

- First of all, a trigger of the whole project was an idea to find proper and optimum possibilities for Backa Palanka to "go out" on the river. Similar to a few towns which found a way for its "contact" with the river, Backa Palanka has not succeeded to resolve this yet, in spite of its demographic and urban development – says an architect Djordje Bajilo from DBA office for eKapija.

Rowing course, town’s stadium

General project has been completed and includes Urban-architectural design of the coastal zone with a new traffic concept and purpose-defined zones.

Urban concept has recommended a construction of rowing course, in expended waters of Crvcina bara. Due to its capacities and contents, it could be a place for all domestic and foreign competitions.

As Backa Palanka has been center of rowing sports development in our county, since the great pioneer of this sport, Milan Janic, it is a real pride to get a 2000-meter modern rowing course here.

- Near the rowing course there will be a walking path with elements of urban movables and area development, while rowing course facilities, depending on the level of competition, are planned to be temporary or mountable-demountable, in order to be economic and energy sustainable, based on the trends adopted during the Olympics in London – explains Bajilo.

Sports center Tikvara will be changed through the urban concept. A part of the facility will be removed, due to rowing course construction, but tennis courts and courts for small sports will be reconstructed. A town’s stadium is envisaged, as well.

- Current stadium of FC "Backa" in the center of the town has a problem with the location in densely populated part of the town, first of all in terms of security. Allocation of the stadium is a decades-long idea of football authorities in this town. An area around the sports hall, where handball team "Sintelon" used to play, is almost completed – adds our interlocutor.

Aqua park and a complex of swimming pools will be extended. Apart from that, there are plans for wellness hotel construction, as well as, additional aqua entertaining facilities.

Space for private investors

In order to use renewable sources of energy, there is a "reserved" space for solar pallets and an energy block that would provide power for the whole complex. The rest of the area is aimed for sports and tourist facilities.

Urban parameters are base for the construction of this complex, without limits on the size of lots and architectural elements, and in order to attract investors who would raise the offer of this border town at a high level. This will also include a modern marina, with 250-berth capacity.

General project envisages a complete fortification of river bank and security system for bank erosion, as well as protection from Danube high waters. Present embankment made to protect the town from centenary high water will stay at its location to protect future rowing course from sudden water level changes, which is required by competition regulations.

New protection line, lower than the embankment, protects the area on the bank of the Danube. It is planned to be "overflow" and to "fill" riverbed of natural branch Tikvar in case of extremely high water level.

- Regime of habitat and natural park Tikvar, as one of the largest qualities of this region, will be maintained this way. A settlement of pile dwellings and an eco-camp area will be built here, strictly using natural and eco-materials – says our interlocutor.

IPA Funds donation

- At the beginning of the next year we will commence construction of river bank fortification and prepare detailed documents, at the expense of the Government, because the Danube is a national river corridor. Construction of atmospheric sewerage collector is being planned for the Danube Street. Municipality authorities in Backa Palanka are aware of the fact that this project will cost a lot and the municipality itself is not able to provide funds – said Bojan Radman, Vice president of Backa Palanka municipality, for Novi Sad daily "Dnevnik".

As he explained, the municipality will apply for EU IPA Fund donation, Danube strategy and international institutions, that have plans for this part of the Danube bank.

- According to the fact that access funds for candidate countries will be significantly larger in 2015, EU will provide funds in the following five years when the most of the project could be finished – added the vice president of Backa Palanka municipality.

General project will be opened at the public hearing by the end of the year. Apart from experts and scientists, there will also be ordinary citizens, sportsmen, tourist workers, ecologists, nature lovers, sports fishermen…

M.K.
Photo Gallery