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Medulin Becomes a Key Point of Croatian Sports

Općina Medulin
Općina Medulin

The vision of the Municipality of Medulin perhaps best describes it as a municipality of high living standards based on developed sustainable tourism, entrepreneurship, and small agricultural holdings that are developing thanks to natural resources, the appreciation of cultural and historical heritage, Kamenjak and the Medulin archipelago, as well as the knowledge and experience of its residents. Although relatively small in terms of population, the municipality is making exceptional efforts to develop its potential to improve the quality of life for its residents, as well as the quality of service and offerings for tourists and visitors. Many younger generations will first think of sports and the abundance of sports fields where athletes of all ages prepare when Medulin is mentioned, making it an indispensable place during athletes’ preparations.

Development of a Sports Destination

The most important investment project in sports infrastructure planned for the upcoming period is the construction of the Medulin Active Park sports center, which will cement Medulin’s place on the sports map of Croatia. It will cover an area of approximately 19 hectares, with the central part of the sports center designated for a football stadium, near which an athletic stadium with accompanying facilities and two additional artificial turf fields will be built. Including six existing football fields, the sports center will have a total of ten football fields, and it will also feature a tennis center with six courts, an Olympic swimming pool, and a sports hall with accompanying facilities.

– The realization of this investment will significantly improve sports infrastructure, and Medulin will confirm its status as one of our main sports destinations and a reference point for the training of domestic and foreign athletes – says Goran Buić, the mayor of the Municipality of Medulin.

However, this is not the end of investments in Medulin’s sports infrastructure. The next important project is the arrangement of the Water Sports Center, followed by the sports center in the settlements of Banjole and Pomer, as well as the more intensive development of cycling tourism and new cycling paths, with a particular focus on mountain, MTB cycling, for which there are excellent natural preconditions.

Protection of Heritage

Medulin is not only synonymous with sports. This municipality is also rich in cultural heritage, from ancient archaeological sites, sacred heritage, windmills to lesser fortification and maritime heritage. The largest cultural project in the municipal area is the arrangement of the Archaeological Park Vižula. The project, valued at 19.6 million kuna, is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, which has approved non-repayable funds of just over 16 million kuna.

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The project for the arrangement of the Archaeological Park Vižula is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, which has approved non-repayable funds of just over 16 million kuna, and the entire project is valued at 19.6 million kuna
 

– Following this project, we are preparing other investment projects in cultural heritage. It is important to highlight the completed reconstruction of the windmill, the windmill on the wind, and we plan to revitalize several fortification heritage sites, primarily the Monte Kope barracks, and then the bunkers on the Bumbište promenade in Banjole – states Buić.

The Municipality of Medulin can certainly take pride in the protected landscape of Kamenjak, the Medulin archipelago, and two park forests – on the hill of Soline near Vinkurana and the Kašteja peninsula. Natural heritage is a segment in which the Municipality of Medulin invests heavily. A major project is also underway, 'ORKA – Sustainable Development of the Significant Landscape of Lower Kamenjak and the Medulin Archipelago', led by the Public Institution Kamenjak, with the Municipality of Medulin as a partner in the project. 'ORKA' includes a series of activities that will facilitate the management and monitoring of visitors by the Public Institution to maintain and promote the protection of the natural values of the significant landscape of Lower Kamenjak and the Medulin archipelago.

– The project is also co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, thanks to a successful application to the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds. Its total value is set at a maximum of ten million kuna, of which 4.3 million kuna in non-repayable funds has been allocated to the project from the Regional Development Fund – explains Buić.

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The protected landscape of Kamenjak and the Medulin archipelago, as well as two park forests – the hill of Soline near Vinkurana and the Kašteja park forest, are just some of the natural beauties whose sustainable development is nurtured by the Municipality of Medulin
 

Diverse Social Program

Through investments in social segments, the Municipality aims to enable a high standard of living for the local population. In line with this, a project for the construction and equipping of the Pomer Kindergarten is underway, aimed at improving preschool education for the youngest, as well as their families.

– The Municipality of Medulin is recognized as a local government unit with a very high-quality and diverse social program implemented by the Social Council, a body that includes doctors and social workers, as well as representatives of vulnerable groups from all municipal settlements – says Buić.

In addition to the youngest, the Municipality is also considering the older population, as the need for the construction of a home for the elderly has been recognized in the work of the Social Council. For this purpose, the Municipality has developed a comparative feasibility study and project documentation for two retirement homes, one in the settlements of Medulin and Banjole, so the municipal council should soon vote on the selection of a more acceptable project. Both projects are located in attractive locations with sea views and have all accompanying facilities for accommodating between one hundred and one hundred and fifty users.

– We are open to all proposals for private or public-private partnerships to realize the construction of the planned home as soon as possible – adds the mayor.

Among the social projects completed last year, the expansion of the Dr. Mate Demarin Primary School in Medulin and the construction of a new school sports hall worth over 42 million kuna should be highlighted. Medulin is keeping pace with the times, perhaps even a little ahead when it comes to environmental protection.

Environmental Challenges and Solutions

In line with this, a series of concrete measures have been adopted to reduce the use of single-use plastics, and in June 2019, a decision was made to cease the use of single-use plastic items and measures to prevent environmental pollution in the administrative bodies of the Municipality of Medulin, as well as in commercial companies and public institutions founded by the Municipality. Thus, a direction has been outlined for the Municipality of Medulin to continue moving forward. The project ‘Medulin FOR the Environment – NO to Single-Use Plastics’ has also been implemented, which included various activities, including cleaning the coast and underwater.

The vision at the beginning of the text is disrupted by the County Center for Waste Management Kaštijun, which is located in close proximity to Vinkurana, Banjole, and Pomer. Although it formally belongs to Pula, its proximity is a problem for Medulin, i.e., its residents, due to the degradation of the quality of life caused by the unpleasant effects of its operation.

– The Municipality of Medulin is extremely dissatisfied with the current state of the Waste Management Center Kaštijun, the operation of the Center, and the approach to environmental protection, the quality of life of residents, and the local community as a whole – say the Municipality.

Due to the jeopardization of the municipal vision and the degradation of the quality of life, a resolution has been adopted demanding that the Center operates according to prescribed conditions and requires the preparation of a document ‘Study of the Current State of the Waste Management Center Kaštijun’ to identify the deficiencies of the Center, and compensation for ecological rent to residents who suffer direct damage.

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