The initial conference of the city project called ARRANGEMENT OF THE TOURIST-RECREATION CENTER "LAKE-HERZEGOVINA-RUŽICA CITY"

On Friday, February 28th of 2020. in Orahovica, in the premises of the Visitor Center, the initial conference of the city project called ARRANGEMENT OF THE TOURIST-RECREATION CENTER "LAKE-HERZEGOVINA-RUŽICA CITY" was held. The project of reference code KK.06.1.2.03.0002 is co-financed from the European Structural and Investment Funds in the financial period 2014-2020. from the European Regional Development Fund within the Operational Program "Competitiveness and Cohesion" based on a restricted procedure in the modality of the permanent call: Promoting sustainable development of natural heritage in Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem.At the 9th session of the Council for Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem held on September 3rd of 2019. in Orahovica, on behalf of the City of Orahovica as the Beneficiary and three project partners, the Grant Agreement in the total amount of HRK 81,377,647.92 was signed by the Mayor Ana-Marija Petin.

The project implementation period is 43 months, from October 1st in 2019. to 1st of may in 2023. year, and grants amount to 68,193,647.92 HRK. The project refers to Phase I - EDUCATIONAL CENTER "ORAHOVICA" - School in nature, which is part of the wider tourist story of the City of Orahovica in the tourist complex within the Papuk Nature Park and according to the Detailed Development Plan "Lake-Herzegovinian Ruzica city" and the comprehensive study environmental impact. The project partners, as well as the Beneficiary, have the obligation to carry out project activities based on the project budget and adopted schedule of activities, namely: Public Institution for Management of Protected Areas and Ecological Network of Virovitica-Podravina County, Virovitica-Podravina County Tourist Board and Orahovica Tourist Board. The participants of the conference were introduced by the Mayor of Orahovica, Ana - Marija Petin, and explained the goals and basic activities of this largest project of the City of Orahovica. The project will establish an Educational Center - School in nature after the construction of infrastructure according to 4 main projects / 4 building permits on the site of today's picnic area and the famous beach "Jezero" in Orahovica in the village Duzluk. Central building / Resort for children, 14 bungalows / studio apartments, 3 groups of toilets and sports fields and playgrounds on the beach will be built and equipped. In the period from 02-04 MJ / 2023. After the establishment of the Center, procurement of vehicles, multimedia, educational and other equipment, educating tourist interpreters with previously prepared strategic documents and action plan for managing the Center, will be implemented "PILOT PROJECT" schools in nature, field classes for students and youth camp scouts. The Mayor thanked the project partners for their response and participation in the conference and the project, emphasizing that she expects good cooperation from all participants. She thanked Virovitica-Podravina County, which included the Orahovac project on the list of strategic county projects ready for funding from the "Slavonia Project", VIDRA - Virovitica-Podravina County Development Agency, which wrote the project and provides technical support and implementation, and all other public bodies , county and city institutions that through their work and competence participated in some phase of project preparation. She stressed that the project is aimed at certain target groups (school and preschool children, young athletes organized in camps, swimmers, families with children and other visitors - hikers, cyclists, mushroom pickers, geologists, team building groups, etc.), but that is convinced that the implementation of the project will benefit everyone, both the citizens of Orahovica and the entire Virovitica-Podravina County.

The participants were briefly introduced to the Partners: Tatjana Arnold Sabo, Director of the Public Institution for Management of Protected Areas and Ecological Network of Virovitica-Podravina County, Martina Jakelić, Director of Virovitica-Podravina County Tourist Board and Lana Jurkin, Head of Orahovica Tourist Board presented a summary of the project through a presentation covering the most important topics: investment location, spatial planning and strategic documents as a prerequisite for construction, project elements, activities of the Beneficiary and Partner, project goal and expected results. The establishment of the Educational Center will provide accommodation facilities with a total of 80 beds (52 in the Resort as double rooms and apartments and 28 accommodation units in detached ground floor bungalows as studio apartments), restaurant, multipurpose hall and workshops in the main building, multimedia equipment as innovative and an interactive way of presenting and interpreting natural and cultural heritage through holograms, equipment and software for virtual and augmented reality. There will be a tourist electric train, 2 buggies, a mini bus, various types of bicycles, a mobile hologram for the Public Institution for Management of Protected Areas that implements a "pilot project", and 3 toilets, sports and children's playgrounds will be built on the beach.

The project employs 2 people (assistant for protected areas and an expert in the development of tourist facilities), while the project team is composed of the City's own capacities - employees of the Public Institution of Orahovica (project manager, construction and financial expert). Considering the location of investments within the Papuk Nature Park with its recognizable attractions, flora and fauna, picnic areas and educational trails, the way of using natural resources, organization of field classes and professional lectures related to the phenomenon of the Park and environmental protection, it will be in cooperation with Papuk Nature Park and their experts according to the currently valid laws and bylaws and documents until the adoption of the Spatial Plan of the Papuk Nature Park as a Plan of special features in space.It was emphasized at the conference that during the implementation of the project there will be constant communication with the public through the elements of visibility of the project such as conferences, various promotional materials, posters, brochures, website of the Education Center, TV reports, video and press releases. the visual identity of the Center.The aim of the project is the sustainable use of the natural heritage of the Orahovac area through arranging the existing and creating a new tourist-educational offer, educating tourist guides for successful presentation of protected tourist values ​​within the Papuk Nature Park, which will enable visitors to experience the tourist destination. parts of nature and its promotion.Expected results: increased number of visitors to the natural heritage, expanded tourist offer of Orahovica and increase in new employee.

Posted: Dec 16, 2020