The opening of the Pancerniak recreational and sports facility took place on Tuesday, January 21, in Świętoszów. Among those attending the ceremony were the director of the Military Housing Agency Zdzisław Niedziela, Major General Janusz Adamczak, Colonel Dariusz Nawrocki, deputy president of the MHA in Zielona Góra Piotr Sadoch, deputy starosta Stanisław Chwojnicki, head of Osiecznica Municipality Waldemar Nalazek, headmistress of the European Union School Complex in Świętoszów Krystyna Kozak together with middle-school students, Świętoszów village head Leszek Luniak, as well as councillors and representatives of Synergia, the company that built the facility.
As recently as last year, the site where Pancerniak now stands was occupied by old post-Soviet blocks, commonly known as Leningrads. “From a huge problem that still frightened people and posed a threat last year, particularly to young people studying nearby, we now have a place where everyone can relax and take part in sports,” said MHA deputy president Piotr Sadoch.
The recreational and sports facility is an investment made possible through cooperation between the Military Housing Agency and Osiecznica Municipality. The MHA demolished the blocks, removed the rubble and prepared the site, while the municipality fully covered the cost of purchasing and installing the equipment with which Pancerniak is fitted.
The site includes, among other things, a skatepark and an outdoor gym with 12 stations, as well as tables for table tennis, board games and chess, a multifunctional sports court with stands, a children’s playground and many other attractions. After a walk, visitors can sit on a bench amid beautiful greenery and young trees.
The cost of developing the facility was PLN 150,000. “For 22 years we have been jointly developing Świętoszów, and this facility is the culmination of good cooperation between the local government and the military and its institutions,” said Osiecznica Municipality head Waldemar Nalazek. “I would like to stress that over these many years Świętoszów has changed beyond recognition. This was also possible thanks to the great goodwill of the Polish Armed Forces.”
MHA director Zbigniew Niedziela, who emphasized the important role of cooperation between the institutions, thanked in his speech Brigadier General Cezary Podlasiński, who was absent from the ceremony, for helping develop the concept and for inspiring and supporting its creators during implementation.
The commander of the Black Division, General Janusz Adamczak, stressed that the facility was intended primarily for soldiers and their families. “There is no similar facility in the area, and I think this one was built in the right place. Świętoszów is one of the few places where, even when it is snowing and freezing, people can be seen on the streets running, cycling or otherwise taking care of their physical fitness. I wish the residents of Świętoszów that the facility would serve you for as long as possible and that you would spend wonderful moments here with your families,” he said.
The acting commander of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade, Colonel Dariusz Nawrocki , thanked the creators on behalf of Brigadier General Cezary Podlasiński and himself: “I hope that this facility will help improve the fitness and physical culture of schoolchildren, soldiers, their families and all Świętoszów residents. A healthy mind in a healthy body.”
The next points of the ceremony were the blessing of Pancerniak, performed by the chaplain of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade, Second Lieutenant Piotr Furmański, and the cutting of the symbolic ribbon by the commander of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade, the MHA deputy president and the head of Osiecznica Municipality.
Near the entrance to the skatepark, a stone with a commemorative plaque was placed to mark the date the facility was handed over to the residents of Świętoszów. The monument was funded by the head of Osiecznica Municipality, and Major General Janusz Adamczak unveiled it.
At the end, everyone present was invited to see the facility. Neither the snow nor the fairly frosty air stopped the young people from trying out the equipment. Outdoor-gym enthusiasts immediately tested the devices, while table-tennis fans played a quick match. There were also some brave visitors who tried their hand at the skatepark. Although it was impossible to ride a bicycle on it, it turned out that it was possible to slide across it. Fortunately, a dozen or so cameras watch over the young people enjoying the 7,000-square-metre site occupied by Pancerniak, making it a safe and constantly monitored place.
“I would like to tell children and young people to follow the example of the role models they have around them. Soldiers are the ones who can best show you how to live and how to relax,” said Piotr Sadoch. “Not television celebrities, but soldiers—your fathers and mothers—can show you what character, willpower, training and a healthy spirit in a healthy body mean. Follow their example.”
(information: Katarzyna Przepióra, assistant to the press officer of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade in Świętoszów/ii)