Reader on the stadium: Why can’t it be used fully and freely?

Here is the content of the email we received from the reader:

I am contacting you regarding the MOSiR stadium at 2 Spółdzielcza Street in Bolesławiec. Last week, I encountered an unpleasant situation. On the first day, when I decided to go to the stadium to run, I encountered a problem—the stadium was closed. I was surprised because, as a resident, I should rather have free access to a facility financed with the city’s money and primarily intended for the city and its residents.

The next attempt to enter looked different. It turned out that when the ticket offices are open, one can enter after paying a fee. I should point out that such practices do not occur in other cities. The taxpayer has already contributed enough to this stadium. From the pleasant woman behind the ticket office, I learned that if I wanted to enter the stadium during hours when the ticket offices are closed, I should purchase a monthly pass. I repeat: it is absurd to pay for entry to a facility financed by the city, which in turn is financed by its residents.

The third attempt to enter ended with the stadium being closed to an “ordinary resident” after Wednesday’s match. There was no one at the ticket office, and entry was impossible. The operation of this stadium borders on pathological management of public money. I had always thought that sports and recreational facilities should be accessible to everyone. Especially since other places, including school pitches, are made available to residents.

That is why I have a question: how does this facility differ from school pitches? Why can’t an ordinary resident use it fully and freely? Who benefits from entry restrictions and fees? Provincial capitals do not engage in such practices, but a small town does.

We asked the reader when the attempts to enter the stadium took place.

In response, she wrote:

The first attempt was in mid-May, in the morning, before the ticket offices opened. The second was on May 25 at around 7:00 p.m., and the third on May 27 at around 7:30 p.m.

We asked Agnieszka Gergont, spokesperson for the Bolesławiec City Office, for comment.

Here is the spokesperson’s response:

Good morning. In Poland, there is no rule that every sports stadium is accessible to everyone at all times. It depends on the type of facility and its regulations. Municipal and athletics stadiums are often made available to residents, but only during specified hours. Some regulations explicitly state that a stadium is not a generally accessible place and that entry requires the manager’s permission or is permitted only during events.

In Bolesławiec, the regulations state: The stadium is not a generally accessible place. The rules for staying at the stadium and using its pitch, sports equipment and other facilities are set by the Miejski Ośrodek Sportu i Rekreacji w Bolesławcu.

Stadiums are often not freely accessible for several reasons:

1. Safety—stadiums contain stands, fences, technical installations, lighting and sports equipment. The manager is responsible for the safety of people on the premises and restricts access to reduce the risk of accidents.
2. Protection of the pitch and infrastructure—pitches, tracks and other stadium elements are expensive to maintain. Unlimited access could lead to faster wear or damage.
3. Training sessions and events—many stadiums have a set schedule of training sessions, competitions, school events or commercial events. Free access would make it more difficult to organise these activities.
4. Legal liability—the owner or manager of the facility is responsible for its condition and often has to control who uses it and when.
5. Maintenance costs—cleaning, security, maintenance, electricity and staff generate expenses.

In practice, many public facilities try to find a compromise: the stadium is not open around the clock, but residents can use it during designated hours or after making an advance reservation. This applies especially to athletics and municipal stadiums.

MUNICIPAL STADIUM REGULATIONS at Spółdzielcza Street in Bolesławiec

1. The Municipal Stadium is a sports and recreational facility located at 2 Spółdzielcza Street in Bolesławiec.
2. Whenever the regulations refer to: a) the manager—this means the Miejski Ośrodek Sportu i Rekreacji w Bolesławcu, based at 52 Zgorzelecka Street in Bolesławiec; b) the facility—this means a facility with an athletics track, warm-up track, long-jump runway, shot-put area, javelin-throw area, full-size football pitch with a natural grass surface, stands and social facilities; c) the user—this means a person staying on the facility’s premises or using its infrastructure at a given moment, either without a contract or under an agreement concluded with the Manager, excluding the facility’s technical service staff.
3. The stadium is not a generally accessible place. The rules for staying at the stadium and using its pitch, sports equipment and other facilities are set by the Miejski Ośrodek Sportu i Rekreacji w Bolesławcu.
4. People using the services of the Miejski Ośrodek Sportu i Rekreacji in accordance with the established schedule of activities may stay on the stadium premises.
5. Organised groups use the pitch, sports equipment and social facilities under the supervision of a coach or group manager, who is responsible for the proper use of the entrusted property in accordance with its intended purpose.
6. The Miejski Ośrodek Sportu i Rekreacji reserves the right to change the date and location of use of the rented subject in cases that pose a threat to its functional quality.
7. Users of the facility are required to comply fully with the instructions of the Municipal Stadium’s technical service employee.
8. People using the facility bear financial liability for damage caused on the premises under the principles set out in generally applicable regulations.
9. In the event of an injury, accident or other danger, the relevant services and the facility manager must be notified.
10. The facility’s technical condition is monitored by the manager. If irregularities in the operation of the equipment are noticed, caused, for example, by vandalism, use of the equipment is strictly prohibited, and any irregularities must be reported immediately to the manager at sekretariat@mosir.boleslawiec.pl or by telephone at 75 7322376.