After the successful implementation of the project “Unknown Krka”, the Public Institute of Krka National Park has been awarded a grant for the project Krka National Park Visitor Management Center – Lozovac.
On Wednesday, 4 April 2018, in the Underground Secrets of Paklenica presentation centre in Paklenica National Park, Croatian Minister of Regional Development and European Union Funds Gabrijela Žalac, director of the Central Agency for Financing and Contracting European Union Programmes and Projects Tomislav Petric and director of the Public Institute of Krka National Park Krešimir Šakić signed the Contract on the awarding of a grant for the project to construct the most frequented entrance of Krka National Park.
The total project value is HRK 105,968,378.33, of which the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRD) is co-financing HRK 71,698,656.53, or 85% of the total acceptable costs (HRK 84,351,360.63), in the form of a grant from the Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014–2020: Promoting sustainable use of natural heritage in national parks and nature parks (project code KK.06.1.2.01).
At this ceremony in Paklenica National Park, a total of nine contracts for different projects valued at over HRK 380 million kuna were signed. Their implementation will contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of citizens and the socio-economic development of the Republic of Croatia, through improved tourism content and sustainable management of the protected areas, improved quality of education and student accommodations, and through reduced social inequality, poverty and depopulation in war-affected areas. In addition to Krka National Park, funds were also allocated to Mljet National Park, Paklenica National Park, Biokovo Nature Park, Cerovac Caves, University of Zadar, Municipality of Darda, and the towns of Petrinja and Benkovec.
The objective of the project is to construct the Krka National Park Visitor Management Center – Lozovac. This includes the construction of infrastructure for the receipt, management and education of visitors, increased visibility of Krka National Park as a tourist attraction, strengthening educational capacities for interactive education and informing of visitors, achieving better spatial and temporal distribution of visitors, and ensuring social, economic and ecological progress.
The construction and commissioning of the Lozovac entrance complex includes the construction and equipping of the Visitor Center building, and construction of roads, parking lots and pedestrian surfaces. The new building will be at the site of the current restaurant, and will extent to the current washroom facilities.
The construction and commissioning of the Lozovac Visitor Center complex includes:
Construction and equipping of the Lozovac Visitor Center:
- Construction and equipping of four functional structures, with a total of 1860 m2 of usable space, containing the grouped content of the visitor centre (multimedia, info and administrative, ticket sales, washroom facilities, and commercial, hospitality, maintenance and service content).
- Exhibition – presentation and multimedia content of the Lozovac Visitor Center:
- AR Augmented reality;
- Multimedia room;
- Smaller room/meeting room;
- Exhibit of archaeological artefacts;
- Artistic installation – Park guards;
- Totems with visuals.
Construction of roads, parking lot and pedestrian surfaces:
- Krka National Park Bus terminal
- Construction of access road to the Visitor Center and area for organised parking of agency buses;
- Construction of washroom facilities next to the terminal for agency buses;
- Construction of a “green island” for waste recycling and sorting;
- Landscaping of two areas, with children’s playground;
- Installation of a system for the automatic reading of tickets, and digital info panels;
- Installation of signalisation within the complex, intended to facilitate movement and to direct visitors.
The project plans are currently under development, after which the procedure to select the works contractor will be started. The start of works is expected by the end of the year.
