Downtown of Nagykanizsa to be Renewed16 February 2009
The development of the centre of Nagykanizsa City of County Rank aimed at extending functions may now be implemented with the help of EU funding of over 1.5 million HUF and resources ensured by investors. Additional new community spaces will be created, shops will be opened and public roads, places and buildings will be renewed within the framework of the New Hungary Development Plan.
Beyond its considerable economy-stimulating and job creation impact, the strengthening of the local community and increasing the number of cultural programmes offered will equally accompany this urban rehabilitation initiative. Nearly 200 billion HUF has been made available for implementing urban developments over the 2007-2010-period; 149 towns were already approved nearly 100 billion HUF from this framework up to the beginning of 2009.
The Government’s decision to include the urban development project of Nagykanizsa City of County Rank in the list of priority projects was made at the Cabinet Meeting held on 11 February. The objective of this project is to renew the downtown area; the rehabilitation of Erzsébet Square, the historical town core, and the creation of a community and business hub are the most relevant components of the project.
Beyond restoring the historical ambiance through the renewal of Erzsébet Square, a venue for events and programmes will also be created, where a music pavilion will function, statues and a fountain will be placed, a model of the castle will be exhibited and community bicycle stands will be available; in addition, trees will be planted along a part of the square. This reconstruction will make the square suitable for playing a key community, public administration and commercial function.
During the course of the development, the High Street will be transformed from a 2x1 lane road into a 2x2 lane one by constructing a walkway and bicycle lane. The historical town core will, as a result, be connected to the pedestrian street and the bicycle road will be extended to the walking garden and the swimming pool. Reducing traffic in the central town core to be developed is the main aim of the traffic changes.
Another relevant outcome of the town rehabilitation project is that construction work will provide jobs for local employees and companies, whilst the number of jobs will increase thanks to the new tourism, catering, commercial and cultural facilities.
This project will be implemented within the framework of the New Hungary Development Plan with the help of EU funding of 900 million HUF; however, listing this project in the Action Plan does not guarantee that the project proposal will actually be implemented. The decision on the conclusion of the assistance contract will only be made once project hosts elaborate the details of the project concepts they have submitted by taking funding criteria into account to the fullest possible extent. One such key criterion underpinning the approval of the development concepts of cities of county rank is that their plans need to catch the attention of the local economic and civil sphere, which players are then integrated in implementation on the basis of shared common interests. The economy-stimulating and job creation impact of the project can best be ensured through these means.
Nagykanizsa is the 13th city of county rank whose town development application has been declared a priority urban development project by the Government. Nearly 200 billion HUF has been made available to implement urban developments over the 2007-2010-period; 149 towns were already approved nearly 100 billion HUF from this framework up to the beginning of 2009.