26 Jan When will the Nidarium in Umianowice be opened?
The completion of the Nature Education Centre in Umianowice in the municipality of Kije is still to be seen.
Originally, the investment was to be ready by the end of last year, and the launch of the centre for young people, tourists and naturalists was to take place in May this year. According to unofficial information from Radio Kielce, it is only in September that the centre will be able to start working at full speed.
According to Marek Jońca, a member of the voivodship board, the general contractor has requested an extension of the deadline for carrying out this task, because the timely completion of the works was hindered by, among other things, the pandemic. Marek Jońca adds that on Wednesday he will meet Tomasz Hałatkiewicz, Director of the Complex of Świętokrzyskie and Nadnidziański Landscape Parks, who is responsible for the realisation of this project, to analyse the letter from the contractor together and consider what to do next.
– We believe that the investment will be completed in the first half of this year. It is an extremely important undertaking. There are not many facilities in the voivodship, but also in Poland, which would show the natural values of the region to a large extent,” he emphasises.
Jarosław Dąbrowski from the Świętokrzyskie and Nadnidziański Landscape Parks Complex reports that work is currently underway inside the buildings. Tiles are laid, walls are plastered and painted, suspended ceilings are installed. Jarosław Dąbrowski adds that the Nidarium, a huge aquarium with a capacity of 25,000 litres, showing life in the Nida River, but also mimicking the riverbed, is almost ready.
– The tank is already equipped with 10 cm thick transparent acrylic panels that serve as aquarium windows. In the last few days, we have carried out an airtightness test on the tank, which was successful. We will then proceed with the decoration and interior design of the aquarium,” he says.
The aquarium will be inhabited by, among others, mussels and fish such as sticklebacks, which build their nests.
The narrow-gauge railway station building, which will house, among other things, interesting exhibitions and a café, is already mostly complete. Work on the modernisation of the water tower above the viewing platform is also nearing completion. From its top it will be possible to admire the surrounding fauna, flora and sunsets.
In the vicinity of the tower, aviaries for birds will be created, which will house, among others, falcons, buzzards, owls and hawks. There will also be a section for a so-called mini rehabilitation centre for birds.
Outbuildings to house farm animals such as sheep or goats are also nearing completion. Others will serve as garages for storing agricultural equipment. Outside works will be resumed as soon as the weather conditions improve.
The centre in Umianowice will consist of several zones, including accommodation for 55 people, an educational and conference hall and a design and research laboratory.
An attraction will also be a ride in handcycles on a 2.5 km section from Umianowice to Hajdaszek. The project has received EU co-financing, which amounts to 15 million PLN. The total cost of the investment is about 20 million PLN.
Source: Radio Kielce
Fhoto. Marta Gajda-Kruk