National
Development Agency

The building housing the Regional Library and Knowledge Centre, as well as the adjacent road, parking lot and garden are being developed, which extends to include the procurement of all necessary equipment, within the framework of the project "Setting up the Southern Transdanubian Regional Library and Knowledge Centre" handed over on 18 December and costing nearly 5.5 billion HUF to complete. The integrated municipal county library, as well as the central university library, together with the law and economics faculty library, will be accommodated in this new building. By providing library services in this building, it will become possible to operate services in a standardised and cost-efficient manner. A 150-person conference room was also set up in the building. In addition, the numerous research rooms, Internet work stations and the university research centre further reinforce the building’s knowledge centre function. The children’s library and playroom on the top floor adjacent to the roof-garden welcomes littlies. The reception area, bookshop, exhibition area and café-restaurant assume community functions. The so-called hive on the ground floor functions as the heart of the building. This new institution set up with the help of EU funding amounting to over 4.6 billion HUF has been constructed at the eastern boundary of the historic downtown precinct of Pécs.    

The second phase of the project called "Revival of public squares and parks" is the other development. Following the renewal of 6 squares and parks recently handed over, a further 3 squares will be renewed in Pécs to make the city even more attractive. The aim of this project costing nearly 5.5 billion HUF to complete is for public squares in the city of Pécs to truly function as community spaces, create popular meeting points and offer a diverse range of opportunities for spending free-time. According to plans, by 2010, public squares and parks in Pécs will ensure a suitable environment for attractions in the city, help orientate tourists visiting the city and provide an opportunity for tourists to relax and enjoy themselves, since these areas will also be suitable for organising open-air cultural events.

In line with the stipulated objectives, functions important for residents and ensuring the long-term use of these renewed public squares in the form of new meeting points, or opportunities for spending free-time and playing sports will also be created. Motor vehicle traffic will be reduced to a minimum level in the areas to be renewed; pedestrian and bicycle traffic will be developed in a safe and rational way, which includes ensuring various forms of handicap access, within the framework of this project implemented with the help of EU funding amounting to over 4.6 billion HUF.