Poland and Slovakia to build large aquapark

The Slovaks are already looking for a source of geothermal water so they can build an aquapark on their side of the border. The search has focused on the village of Stara Wies. Preliminary search results indicate springs in the area with temperatures as high as 75 Celsius.

If the Polish-Slovak consortium can find hot-water springs in Poland, work on an aquapark could begin in the first half of 2009. Results of the consortium’s search for a spring will likely be known by the end of the month, said Stanislaw Chmiel, who represents the village of Sromowce Wyzne in the project. The consortium has yet to design the park because a design depends on the capacity of the springs. The companies involved in the partnership have yet to be revealed.

The aquapark will become one of the area’s three biggest tourist draws, along with relaxing at Czorsztynskie Lake and rafting on the Dunajec River, predicts Czorsztyn village administrator, Waldemar Wojtaszek.

Geothermal swimming pools are already the biggest tourist attraction in the Slovak mountains. The 40 pools attract about 4,000 people a day in summer and 3,000 a day in winter. In the old days, just swimming and relaxing around a pool was enough to draw visitors to hot springs.

These days, however, people want more, including water slides, hydro-massages and saunas. That demand has led to a boom in aquaparks in Poland. Cities with such parks include Krakow, Sopot, Leszno, Polkowice and Darlowo. The parks attract not only tourists from nearby areas, but people from some distance away. The Tatry slope of the Antalowka Mountains has an aquapark with three swimming pools that attract 2,500 visitors a day. That facility’s popularity has led to plans to build aquaparks in Banska Nizna and Bukowina Tarzanska. The Banska Nizna complex will feature five swimming pools and the Bukowina Tarzanska complex 12.

Krakow’s aquapark is at ul. Dobrego Pasterza 126. Its attractions include three large swimming pools, eight jacuzzi with salt water, water slides, a wild river stretch, a climbing wall, outdoor sports facilities, a Tibetan bridge, hydro-massages, dry and steam saunas and a solarium. The facility also boasts a fitness club that offers classes in yoga, tai-chi and dancing, conference and banquet rooms, restaurants, shops and a beauty salon.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *