Cycling in nature and the city26 May 2008
Minister of Environment and Water Imre Szabó rode along the nearly 5 km long new bicycle route constructed in Zalavár with the help of EU funding.
The new investment opens the Kis-Balaton (Little Balaton) nature conservation area to visitors, which area has been closed to the public up till now. At the press conference held after the event of 23 May, the Minister said that other green developments similar to the Kis-Balaton Project are essential for the wide-scope dissemination of environmental awareness, which is a priority objective for the Minister. Beyond the bicycle route costing a total of 74 million HUF, the Kis Balaton Bicycle Rental House, the Bird Reserve, the new „water playground” and the Kis-Balaton House were also developed and set up as a part of the National Development Plan within the framework of the project „Tourism development in the Kis Balaton area” announced within the scope of the Regional Operational Programme.
Minister Imre Szabó told the audience how he, as a regular cyclist, believes that funding the construction of bicycle routes is of key importance, and how it is great joy to see that several similar projects have already been implemented with the help of EU funding. According to the government’s plans, a total of 52 billion HUF has been earmarked for the development of 1500 km of bicycle routes up to 2013. The bicycle route that has just been officially opened was constructed as a part of the project „Tourism development in the Kis Balaton area”, for which the European Union granted development funding for Hungary during the 2004-2006-period.
Tourists can rent bicycles from the Kis Balaton Bicycle Rental House and by riding along the bicycle route marking out the boundaries of Kis Balaton, they have the opportunity to visit the new lookout point built on top of the reinforced concrete double sluice gate constructed 50 years ago, which has even preserved the sluice valves and drives to demonstrate its sluice functions. Visitors get a birds-eye view of Lake Hídvégi, the flora and fauna of Kis Balaton, as well as the surrounding natural landscape from the lookout point. The new bicycle route ends in the vicinity of the fully-operating Bird Reserve.