Ice-Skating Rink in City Park to Be Renewed by the End of 201025 June 2009
The foundation stone of the project “Gateway to City Park” was laid on 24 June. The reception building of the ice-skating rink will be renewed and the building wing bombed out during World War II will be rebuilt within the framework of this investment.
The European Regional Development Fund of the European Union has granted over 3 billion HUF for the development costing a total of 4.7 billion HUF.
Owing to its location, the Ice-Skating
Rink in City Park,
a protected historic building, is the gateway to City Park,
which functions as a potential service and visitor centre for tourists, as well
as anyone just wishing to relax in the park. However, it is incapable of assuming
this role in its current state. Due to the atrocious technical state of the
rink, it is not possible to fill the pond with water during the spring, summer
and autumn period; moreover, the building is also in a run-down state. The
Government approved the reconstruction of the Ice-Skating Rink in City Park
and its adjacent buildings as a priority project in November 2008.
An environment worthy of
the grand past and reputation of the building complex will be created for
visitors in the course of the European Union-funded investment; consequently
the traditions of the ice-skating rink will not only survive, but extended
functions will also be provided for visitors.
The renewed ice-skating rink is expected to attract several top class ice
sports events to Budapest. A 108x67-metre ice-skating rink and a 60x30-metre
hockey field will be open to anyone keen on ice-skating, whilst entertainment
opportunities will be provided in summer on the nearly 17,000-square-metre
water surface of the artificial pond. The traditional pastime of going boating
in City Park will consequently be revived, and
it will also be possible to organise a wider range of cultural events on or
around the pond. To ensure the latter, a spatial stage will be constructed on a
6x6-metre raster grid and new modern lighting will be installed around the
ice-skating rink. A mobile statue exhibition and a series of cultural
programmes will be organised on the new water stage once reconstruction is
completed; in addition, a 212-square-metre tourist and cultural centre
will be opened in the renewed building.
The main building and the building complex to be reconstructed will ensure the
infrastructure background for the ice-skating rink from October through to
March and operating conditions for boating, catering, exhibitions and other
cultural events from April to September. Among others, an information service,
interactive information services for tourists, rest-rooms, medical services, a
presentation, events and meeting room, as well as catering and first aid
facilities will be set up in the main building. A visitor centre will also be
created in the main building.
23 new jobs are expected to be created as an outcome of this investment;
moreover, once the development is completed, the number of ice-skaters using
the facility is expected to increase by 21%, i.e., from 380,000 individuals to
460,000 by 2012, whilst 120,000 people are expected to visit the tourist and
cultural centre in its first year of operation.
More people will visit the exceptional historic environment in the heart of the
capital and the quality of services offered in the prime tourist area will
improve. Due to the higher number of tourists visiting the City Park, other
institutions operating in the area can also count on a significantly higher
number of visitors. By implementing this project, it will be possible to ensure
the safe and long-term operation of the open-air ice rink, which is situated in
an exceptionally unique environment and is one of the main tourist attractions
in Budapest.