Kilometres of new roads, convenient transport solutions and a new face of vocational education, which is experiencing a genuine renaissance in Bolesławiec County. More importantly, the millions obtained under the “Modernisation of Vocational Education in Lower Silesia” project, together with systemic solutions, are already producing tangible results in caring for the education of future, well-trained professionals. The modernisation of the Old Theatre, the computerisation of the hospital, and finally the money invested in a new County Office headquarters. How much has been achieved in Bolesławiec County? – says the Chairman of the County Council, Karol Stasik.
– Looking at the past year, but also at the four years of the outgoing term, I think it was a very good period for Bolesławiec County. It brought tangible development and the creation of a new quality in many areas of our management. These include road investments and educational investments, as well as bold projects such as the modernisation of the Old Theatre and the major investment in central Bolesławiec – the new County Office headquarters. The effort was all the greater because we carried out most of the renovations using money that we had to set aside in the county budget.
Large educational and promotional projects were also completed: the creation of Vocational Education Centres and a project promoting the Bory Dolnośląskie. Major investment projects also included hospital projects (the Hospital Emergency Department, hospital computerisation and the infectious diseases ward), as well as the modernisation of the Karola Miarki, Żwirki i Wigury street route.
– We care about the health of our residents and their access to modern hospital wards. I have spoken many times about the construction of the Hospital Emergency Department, as well as the thermal modernisation and computerisation of the County Hospital in Bolesławiec. The increasingly modern hospital has already transformed patient services, but this is not the end. Another qualitative change in county healthcare is the relocation of the Infectious Diseases Ward, being carried out according to plan. We managed to obtain PLN 600,000 for this purpose from the Marshal’s Office. Bolesławiec County contributed more than half a million zlotys to the Infectious Diseases Ward, as well as money for equipment and the construction of an internal road. Soon patients will be able to use a completely new ward. I realise that this renovation was very much anticipated. We listen carefully to the needs of the County Hospital’s patients and consistently strive to meet them. In the longer term, we aspire to build a modern operating block. The preliminary design has already been submitted to the Marshal’s Office. This multi-million-zloty project will be implemented using EU funds, and we will seek approval for the ambitious version, costing more than PLN 30 million. Such funding would make it possible to build – next to the existing Hospital Emergency Department – a four-storey, modern operating block meeting the latest standards, with an Intensive Care Unit, a Central Sterilisation Department and adjacent wards that particularly require proximity to the operating block. Even if this concept proves too expensive to implement, in another version we will adapt a hospital building for a three-storey operating block with similar functions, costing nearly PLN 20 million. There are real chances that the new operating block will serve the residents of Bolesławiec County as early as 2017.
In recent years, Bolesławiec County has become an undisputed leader in building “schetynówki” roads. Nine roads, totalling more than 52 km, were built with funding from the National Fund, amounting to PLN 24 million. This year’s major projects include the reconstruction of the road from Nowa Kuźnia to Modła under the “schetynówki” programme, costing more than PLN 4 million, and Sikorskiego Street in Gromadka. Road modernisations in Ołobok and Ławszowa. The construction of roads and pavements in Tomaszów Bolesławiecki, Raciborowice, Iwiny and Jurków. Similarly, in Ocice and Gościszów. The reconstruction of Podgórna Street in Bolesławiec.
– Successes only inspire us to continue working. We also managed to set aside, which is a major achievement, more than half a million zlotys for the renovation of Staszica Street in Bolesławiec, from the bypass to Góralska Street. But I am most proud of how much we contributed to the reconstruction of road 297. For many years I personally worked to get the Lower Silesian Roads and Railways Service to start investing here. Why was this so important? Bolesławiec is ideally located near two motorways, A18 and A4, and the age-old north–south route also runs through here. It was inevitably shifted towards Legnica, but professional drivers continued to use this shorter road – turning off the S3 in Nowa Sól, they travelled to Jakuszyce or Jelenia Góra via Bolesławiec. Anyone who thinks sensibly and wants to save fuel drives through Bolesławiec. Now they can travel on a genuinely good road along a 10-kilometre section north of Bolesławiec – from Kozłów to Golnice. The investment included reconstruction of the road, junctions and exits, as well as the construction of pavements, pedestrian and cycle routes and bus bays. The works cost approximately PLN 20 million.
Bolesławiec County is an extraordinary place on the map of Poland. Its cultural heritage and traditions brought from many parts of the world have created great social potential. This fact did not determine divisions – quite the opposite: the desire to act together has produced remarkable results over the years.
– A model example of such integration is the “Modernisation of Vocational Education Centres in Lower Silesia” project. It is an unprecedented example of cooperation between local governments: 29 counties joined the project, which restored the status and purpose of vocational education in our post-secondary schools. The value of equipment supplied to the centres established in nine counties was PLN 67 million. Under normal circumstances, such a change would take nearly 100 years. The success of the educational project inspired us to undertake integrated action in the field of surveying tasks, which require a broader perspective and a longer-term outlook than the boundaries of individual counties. I dream of similar action in the “promotional sphere”, because it will enable us to move beyond parochial thinking about the region, charting a common and unified path for creating a local brand. I believe I can convince wise partners to cooperate. It is gratifying to see the real impact of our actions on improving the quality of life of the residents of Bolesławiec County. This concerns a shared vision in such important areas as healthcare, safety and roads. There has been extraordinary progress in all these spheres over the past 15 years, although I am aware that much remains to be done. The territorial identity we have managed to develop must also have a broader context, which is why cooperation with the Marshal’s Office and the Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Cezary Przybylski, with whom I achieved a great deal for Bolesławiec County when he was starost, is so important. Now there is a chance for unanimity in co-creating a modern region and in “continuing good, proven practices”.
Karol Stasik
Candidate for the Bolesławiec County Council from the KWW Platforma Samorządowa Powiatu Bolesławieckiego, Chairman of the Bolesławiec County Council
68 years old, husband, father and grandfather. Master of Engineering in ceramics. An experienced social and economic activist, Deputy Mayor of Bolesławiec in 2002–2006, Chairman of the Bolesławiec County Council in 2006–2014. Chairman of the Social Council of the Healthcare Complex in Bolesławiec. On the county council, he still wants to focus on the further development of healthcare, roads and education. He will also work to create joint promotion of the county and municipalities, particularly in tourism and investment areas. His hobbies are sport and history.
commissioned information by KWW Platforma Samorządowa PB