Zakrzówek has not been out of the mouths of Cracovians for several weeks. After the passages related to the opening of the facility, the introduction of restrictions on the number of people, and the establishment of technical breaks every Monday, there was another clash related to the development of the site. This time it was about parking.
The Zakrzówek swimming pool officially opened on June 22, 2023. After many years of discussion, the organization of a competition and changes in ownership, the form of development of the limestone surroundings was finally decided on, which had caused a lot of controversy. We have described the history of the creation of Zakrzówek, along with an assessment of the proposed solutions, in the pages of architekturaibiznes.pl.
In the meantime, the Urban Greenery Board has introduced restrictions on the number of people using the bathing area. It also established a special technical day when the bathing area is closed, set for every Monday. The investment became hostage to its own success, not withstanding for a moment the pressure resulting from the high attendance at the bathing area. In addition to these problems, there was also the issue of the next stage of the investment, which was the construction of a parking lot at the end of Twardowskiego Street.
The bathing area on Zakrzówek was opened at the end of June this year. — Since then, it has continued to raise discussions about its use
photo: Wiktor Bochenek
residents against the parking lot
The adopted local development plan called for the creation of a parking lot in the Zakrzówek Park area, it was to include forty-five parking spaces. The sixth stage of the investment has aroused opposition from residents — on the initiative of Aleksander Miszalski (MP for the Civic Coalition) a petition was created to abandon the investment at this location. Almost a thousand residents signed the objection, as indicated by its initiator.
A parking lot with about forty-five spaces was to be built in the immediate vicinity
Photo: Wiktor Bochenek
We are of the opinion that the expansion of Zakrzówek Park should take place in a balanced way, so that the values of the Park indicated above are preserved [these values include elements of a landscape park and ecological use — editor's note]. It would be advisable to direct the investment in this direction, in order to encourage residents to come to the Park not by car, but by public transportation, bicycle or on foot," reads the text of the petition.
The abandonment of the parking lot was announced on its website and social media by the Krakow Urban Greenery Management Board.
© Board of Urban Greenery in Krakow
What's next for Zakrzówek?
Zakrzówek, despite its opening, still remains a place full of defects. The discussion of proposed and implemented solutions is still open. The Lepszy Kraków association has also proposed its ideas — for example, an online counter of people staying in the area and those waiting in line to enter the bathing area (with data updated every 15 minutes).
© Lepszy Kraków
Zakrzówek is an agile project that requires constant work. We know that at this point there will not be a parking lot built there, coming into conflict with the nature of the green area. However, the question of further solutions is open — the completion of the bathing area does not mean the closure of work on this unique place.
The discussion of proposed and implemented solutions is still open
photo by Wiktor Bochenek
