As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 7th of January, 2020, the continental Croatian town of Koprivnica will remember 2019 as an extremely successful year, not only by the numerous activities carried out by the local government and by local companies, but also by the many awards won.
As a continental town, Koprivnica has won two tourism awards, the award for the best continental tourist destination of the Vecernjak Tourist Patrol, while the town’s popular Renaissance Festival won the Tourism Event of the Year from the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ), the Ministry of Tourism, and the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK).
In spring, the first living public lighting laboratory was opened, not only was it the very first in all of the Republic of Croatia, but in this part of Europe, in which a dozen manufacturers of public lighting equipment and smart solutions test, present, and also use everyday.
This functional blend of smart solutions, public lighting, energy and everyday city life is the winner of Poslovni Dnevnik’s award in the smart energy/environment category.
When it comes to environmental care, Koprivnica is also the recipient of the award for being the most environmentally friendly town, as the town that cares most about its environment and waste management system. At the end of last year, more than 50 percent of the collected municipal waste had already been properly sorted and separated at home and then through the recycling yard, and the construction of a second recycling yard worth over 5.2 million kuna is being co-financed by the EU Competitiveness and Cohesion operational programme in the amount of 85 percent.
A new entrepreneurial/business incubator for creative industries, worth 18 million kuna in total, has been built with European Union money, and it has already filled its premises with young and new entrepreneurs in just a few months.
The energy renovation of Koprivnica’s Braća Radić elementary school in the amount of 10.6 million kuna has also been completed, and at the same time, the contract for the energy renovation of the Antun Nemčić Gostovinski elementary school has been signed.
The town’s Tratinčica kindergarten (2.8 million kuna) was also renovated energetically. In addition to facilities providing elementary education, a brand new kindergarten will be built with European Union money in the suburban settlement of Starigrad worth 7 million kuna, and a newly constructed junction road (worth 7.8 million kuna) that connects Starigrad with the suburban settlement Reka will be opened. These projects prove that Koprivnica is justifiably included in the Top 10 Croatian cities when it comes to the withdrawal of money from EU funds.
2019 also marked the hundredth anniversary of the Domoljub Hall (Dvorane), the cultural and educational centre of Koprivnica, and its significant anniversary saw 1.1 million kuna invested in the renovation of the hall itself. For the fourth year in a row, the upward trend in job creation continues, and Koprivnica’s budget has been a record in the last ten years, which is a direct indicator of positive economic activity. In addition to this are new entrepreneurial measures that have resulted in the signing of construction contracts in the Koprivnica entrepreneurial/business zones, contributing to more work and as such – more job opportunities.
This year, the project of the construction of a new elementary school in Podolice with a new hall as well as the halls at the Đuro Ester primary school begins, as does the reconstruction of the city centre – Zrinski square (trg), the construction of two new roundabouts to increase road traffic safety on important and large roads, municipal infrastructure and, of course, the Koprivnica Water Agglomeration project worth 512 million kuna, with which 23 kilometres of new water supply and sewerage network are in the works.
Make sure to follow our lifestyle page for much more.
