Inauguration of the “Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski — the City Renewed” (orig. Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski — Miasto OdNowa) project

A conference of a particular importance for Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, took place at the Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski Culture Brewery (orig. Ostrowiecki Browar Kultury), dedicated to the inauguration of the “Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski — the City Renewed” (orig. Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski — Miasto OdNowa) project. Nearly PLN 16 million from the Norway Grants funds will help to implement this project.

The plans include an entrepreneurship support program, development of bicycle infrastructure, implementation of a communal environmental education program, a resident’s portal, a digital archive, the Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski Integrator of Education and Entrepreneurship (org. Ostrowiecki Integrator Edukacji i Przedsiębiorczości), the “Ostrowiec Card” (orig. “Ostra Karta”), a loyalty program for the city’s residents, and a number of other projects.

— We are launching the “City Renewed” program, a major project, which involved about 1,000 people during the consultation stage. 255 cities had the opportunity to apply for the Norway Grants funds. In the first ranking of 55 cities, our city ranked fifth. In the final stage, Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski ranked 4th out of 29 cities. A very well-prepared documentation and great possibilities were our advantage at that point — said the Mayor of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski Jarosław Górczyński.

The conference featured presentations showing what the funds raised will be used for. The entire project concerns a number of different areas, which were presented by the participants of the project responsible for their respective areas, the so-called partners.

The way to success, which the “Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski — the City Renewed” (orig. Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski — Miasto OdNowa) project is, was described by the Deputy Head of the Planning and Development Department Jolanta Pora.

Deputy Mayor of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski Dominik Smoliński informed about plans to establish the Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski Integrator of Education and Entrepreneurship (org. Ostrowiecki Integrator Edukacji i Przedsiębiorczości), which will be located in the building of the Center for Continuing Education (orig. Centrum Kształcenia Ustawicznego) at ul. Sandomierska Street. Available 7 days a week, this facility, among its features, will host classes in robotics, programming and computer game development. The Center for Continuing Education will also continue to function there. The Deputy Mayor also spoke about the Technical Assistance Operational Program (orig. Program Operacyjny Pomocy Technicznej) involving the development of pilot project documentation for the functional reconstruction of public areas in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski in order to increase their attractiveness to residents with the use of green and blue infrastructure.

Local Development Center staff: Head of LDC Agnieszka Rogalińska and Senior Specialist for Investor and Entrepreneurship Services Łukasz Kot presented the entrepreneurship support program.

Head of the Poviat Family Assistance Center Joanna Pikus and Head of City Hall Investment Department Artur Majcher will be responsible for investments in improving accessibility for the disabled.

Head of the Department Mariusz Kałuża and Inspector Edyta Macias from the Ecology Department of the City Hall in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski will supervise the environmental education program.

Kamil Stelmasik and Sebastian Majewski from the Ostrower Association have the task of developing bicycle infrastructure and popularizing the culture of this means of transport.

The Polish Red Cross, headed by Beata Barska, will implement the “Modern Junior Academy” (orig. Akademia Współczesnego Juniora) program.

Katarzyna Cukierska, the Space for Social and Cultural Initiatives Association (orig. Przestrzeń Inicjatyw Społeczno-Kulturalnych), will take care of the appointment of the Youth City Council.

This year’s high school graduates: Weronika Młynek and Eliza Bugajska talked about the program “I am a resident of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski” (org. Jestem ostrowczaninem), which aims to build the identity of the city’s residents. The program includes a digital archive containing historical photos of the city and a comic book interweaving the city’s history with contemporary times.

Head of the IT Department Robert Pasternak and Deputy Head of the Planning and Development Department of the City hall in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski Tomasz Gębka, among their tasks, will create an application for the residents of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski which will help to arrange official matters and inform about the events in the city. There are also plans to create the “Ostrowiec Card” (orig. Ostra Karta) — a loyalty program for the residents of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski.

Andrzej Kryj, MP, participating in the conference, congratulated Mayor Jarosław Górczyński on obtaining funds, having competent employees and the projects to be implemented. Wiesława Kwiatkowska and Grzegorz Kaczmarek, advisors from the Association of Polish Cities, assured of their assistance on an as needed basis.