(INTERVIEW WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PHYSICAL CULTURE COMMITTEE, COUNCILLOR STANISŁAW SZYPULSKI)
- What did you promise yourself and the residents when running for councillor?
- I ran as a candidate from the Civic Committee Club associated with the Member of Parliament. I did not have a special individual programme of my own, and as for the Club, among the more important goals it set itself were, among other things, the creation of a Local Cable Television station in Bolesławiec, bringing our Old Town—including the market square and town hall—to what might be called a representative condition, road repairs in the Kwiatowe Housing Estate, the renovation of Staszica Street, and the construction of a sewage treatment plant. Some of these tasks have already been completed, while others are in progress.
As for me, after being elected councillor I declared my willingness to work on the Education, Culture and Physical Culture Committee. Later, the Physical Culture Committee was separated out, and I became its chairman.
- Perhaps, then, we could talk about the problems of sport in Bolesławiec. What is encouraging, and what is worrying?
- Unfortunately, there are more matters that are worrying. The country’s economic situation, and the difficult situation of workplaces in particular, inevitably affect the entire sphere of sporting activity and related efforts. In the past, workplaces were a strong pillar of support for sport, especially competitive sport. Boxing in the past, and football until not so long ago—supported, for example, by the “Konrad” Mining Works and other enterprises—could exist and bring honour to the city without any sense of threat.
Today, boxing and the successes of Ryszard Tomczyk are a distant memory, while the footballers have had to say goodbye to the third division. At present, sport in Bolesławiec is based mainly on school youth sport. I have in mind a broad range of different disciplines, especially athletics. After achieving their first successes, however, talented young athletes leave to study, and the only consolation is that they achieve sporting success elsewhere in the country. Sometimes former pupils return to Bolesławiec after some time as sports teachers.
- Let us return once more to the BKS footballers. Could this sole representative of the Jelenia Góra Voivodeship really not remain in the third division? Was there any assistance from the city?
- The Mining Technical School made a hall available free of charge for winter training. The footballers could also use the stadium free of charge. The city budget could provide 400 million zlotys, but unfortunately this had to be divided among all the clubs, sections and associations. The money had to be distributed among BKS, the Municipal Tennis Club, MKS “Bolesłavia”, the Bolesławiec TKKF Sailing Club, funding for the ZHP summer programme, and the organisation of events for young people. The clubs and associations mentioned above certainly deserve support, demonstrating great vitality and independence. I think that it would be worthwhile writing separately about the activities of the individual clubs one day, because each has considerable achievements. Take, for example, the activities of TKKF “Bolesławianka”, specifically the people gathered around the Gym. They renovated the Gym through their own efforts and use their own money to buy equipment, devices and decorative elements. The activity of people such as Zbigniew Szermer and Bolesław Łach deserves admiration and recognition.
Returning to the footballers: many of them were—and still are—without work recently, living on unemployment benefits. They repeatedly travelled to league matches or bought equipment with their own or borrowed money. This must be understood and appreciated, just as the efforts and commitment of Henryk Kusojcla, Mieczysław Stulin and Marian Szewerda must be.
- Are there matters in your area of activity which, despite being a councillor, leave you feeling helpless?
- Today, major renovations of sports facilities are impossible to arrange. Starting with the MOS stadium on Spółdzielcza Street (an admittedly representative facility for the city), through school gymnasiums, and ending with MOSiR facilities—almost everything requires renovation. This cannot be done without substantial funds. And this is depressing for all those in the city who would like to do much more for local physical culture and sport.
- To conclude our conversation, could you offer a few optimistic forecasts for sport or tell us about some brighter prospects?
- I am pleased that the Physical Culture Council operates under the Mayor and is chaired by Bogdan Juda. It brings together a group of proven, energetic people, and quite a few elements of the sports programme have already been carried out. It is encouraging to see the continued cooperation and substantial assistance for sport and its affairs from the Command of Military Unit 4355 and the Regiment Command. The matter of a sports physician has also been resolved and definitively settled. The office is located in the indoor swimming pool complex, and credit for that is due to Director Samonek.
It is encouraging that the facilities for indoor sports in Bolesławiec are expanding. Two new sports halls, no worse than the hall on Komuny Paryskiej Street, are to be opened. The first is the sports and gymnasium hall of the Complex of Commercial and Service Schools on Świerczewskiego Street, and the second is the hall of the Teacher Training College in Dolne Młyny.
- Thank you for the conversation and for a little optimism. Interview: FRANCISZEK USCIŃSKI