December 17, 2019 – A zip line connecting Trsat and Delta in Rijeka will be one of the highlights in the European Capital of Culture program next year.
Rijecanin.hr reports that the building of the former Exportdrvo warehouse on the Delta, along the Dead Canal, will be leased to the City of Rijeka for the Rijeka – European Capital of Culture 2020 program, the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure confirmed.
As part of the program, which will include several significant exhibitions and other events, the highly anticipated, two-kilometer-long zip line, from Trsat to Exportdrvo, will be built, confirmed the Rijeka’s head of culture, Ivan Sarar.
“The City of Rijeka has applied for a concession for the special use of the maritime domain and to run the Rijeka – European Capital of Culture 2020 program. The Rijeka – European Capital of Culture 2020 program includes the production and implementation of cultural, artistic and entertainment programs and events related to the Rijeka 2020 European Capital of Culture project and its long-lasting heritage, organizing congresses, national and international gatherings and festivals and promotional events, organizing educational programs for children and young people, and setting up and using the Rijeka zip line arrivals station,” the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure said. They noted that, given the importance of this program, for the City of Rijeka as well as for the whole of Croatia, the Ministry has already proposed to the Government of the Republic of Croatia a decision to grant the requested concession to the City of Rijeka.
The Minister of Culture from Rijeka, Ivan Sarar, spoke about the future purpose of the building and why the building was chosen for the ECOC 2020 program.
“It is a port warehouse that has lost its original purpose over time as conditions and the mode of operation and/or operation of the port have changed. Also, it is a space in the center of the city that has so far proved ideal for various entertainment and cultural events, so using that space for the European Capital of Culture program is a logical choice,” said Sarar, adding that any work on the building itself is under the authority of the Port Authority and the Ministry of the Sea as the owner, that is, the authorities managing the port area.
Sarar also announced that, if the concession agreement between the Government and the City of Rijeka is indeed signed, a zip line will be constructed with the final stop at the Exportdrvo building, which will surely be one of the biggest attractions not only during the ECOC, but also in the years to follow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=4bV18u2xx9M
The zip line project from Trsat, through the Rječina canyon to the Exportdrvo building, stands out among the projects in the ECOC program and is the idea of Rijeka entrepreneur Eris Marotti, who already has experience in setting up a zip line in Croatia. Marotti envisioned that the ride would begin at Trsat, from where the descent, at an average speed of about 50 kilometers per hour, would lead to the Katarina tunnel, and from Katarina, the zip line would go partly through the Rječina canyon and across the city center, down to the Exportdrvo building.
Earlier last year, when the project was announced, Marotti said it would take about two million kuna to execute. Marotti also estimated the time required for all the works to be about half a year, so that, under ideal circumstances, the zip line could function in the next summer.
Exportdrvo will also host various temporary art installations as part of the European Capital of Culture program next year.
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