When we talk about the return of Ukrainians who are currently abroad, we, of course, have in mind the primary factors: security, rebuilt housing and the opportunity to find work. But we cannot stop only at these aspects. How can the state and local government be active and help create conditions for people to return to their native land? How important is sports infrastructure in your opinion? You will say, not at the right time?
Of course, after the Victory, the reconstruction of housing and communal infrastructure.
But an important factor in the return of people will also be the organization of active public life. A great example of this can be seen in our sister city of Bystrzyce nad Pernštejn in the Czech Republic. Here they not only renovated the housing stock and created jobs. They were able to actively develop sports infrastructure so that every resident could find themselves in sports. Yes, the city has a stadium, a sports complex with a swimming pool, squash, basketball, volleyball courts, a mountaineering hill, tennis courts, a network of bike paths, and a skate park is also being built for active leisure of young people. Arriving in the city late in the evening, we were surprised by the sports complex, which worked until late and was actively used by the local population. The neighboring hotel was full of children who came to the city for competitions. The mayor explained that such tournaments are held constantly, and the presence of infrastructure contributes to this.
An interesting example is the ice stadium, where the local hockey team plays and skating lessons are held for children from 4 years old. It is not for nothing that the current player of the Czech national hockey team began his sports career here, at this stadium. But even that wasn’t what attracted attention – every Saturday at 9 am, entire families come to the stadium – parents with children from neighboring villages, for whom the stadium is specially booked. They don’t just skate, they spend time together, strengthen social ties, and such initiatives strengthen the community.
Another striking example is the sports complex with a hotel, which I wrote about above, which has become an important part of the economic development of the community. This facility not only hosts children’s and adult competitions in various sports, but also provides accommodation for participants and travelers. This brings additional income to the local budget and creates opportunities for local entrepreneurs. The local authorities decided not to stop there and solar stations with a capacity of more than 130 kW are already being installed on the roofs of the sports complex and the hotel. It will provide these facilities with free electricity, and the excess electricity will be redirected to a municipal boiler house located nearby, which in turn provides heat to city buildings. This has a significant impact on the price of heat.
And these are a few examples from the life of a small town with 8,000 residents. The important thing here is that all these facilities were built with the support of the EU and the local ministries of sports, energy and the environment.
Such initiatives can become the basis for the formation of a strong and cohesive community. People want to live not only in comfortable conditions, but also to be part of an active, socially oriented community. This is what we should strive to recreate in Ukraine, because reconstruction is not limited to material aspects. We need to create a healthy environment that will encourage people to return and actively participate in the life of the country.
I believe that if such initiatives are developed in Ukrainian communities, we will be able not only to rebuild the country, but also to make it more cohesive and attractive to those who left it because of the war.
