Krakow News 20 September 2016: Footbridge “love locks” to be cut / Park Jordana renovation petitioned / Rubbish plant offering tours
Lovers’ locks to be removed from footbridge
Kładka Ojca Bernatka, the colorfully-lit footbridge which links Kazimierz and Podgórze, has become a local landmark for lovers, who have affixed hundreds of initialed padlocks to it. It is a tradition which has become popular in many other cities around the world. After six years, however, municipal transit authority ZIKiT has become concerned about damage to the bridge’s protective fences to which the locks are attached and decided that the locks will be removed next year. A city spokesman, however, recognizing the importance of the locks to their owners, has suggested that they could be transformed into a “monument of love.” [Onet]
Petition to renovate Park Jordana
An open letter signed by 1,500 Cracovians has been delivered to Mayor Jacek Majchrowski in support of renovating Park Jordana. Established in 1889 as the first public playground of its kind in Europe, it is one of Krakow’s most notable landmarks. The project would cost an estimated 20 million PLN and will be assessed for the 2017 budget, which is not yet finalized. [Gazeta Wyborcza]
Tour Krakow’s waste incineration plant
Local waste incineration plant Ekospalarnia will offer tours of its facilities on October 1st and 2nd. The guided walks, including a workshop for children, will take about half an hour. Organizers recommend taking the provided shuttle bus from al. Andera by Nowa Huta’s Plac Centralna rather than trying to find parking. You can register here (PL).
Ekospalarnia incinerates 220,000 tonnes of rubbish per year for electricity and is Krakow’s largest EU-sponsored project. [LoveKrakow]
This actually puts someone out of a job. My friend Michał the key-diver has been diving in to the Wisła every night for years with his old scuba equipment looking for the keys for these locks which he then matches to the lock on the bridge, removes it, and then sells them at Hala Targowa. This has been his job for many years and now he and his family will suffer. :-( Shame on you cruel aesthetes.
Myself and my Boyfriend Piotr put a lock on the bridge the night we first had sex. It would be sad to see them go.