Novi Sad Might Get Rowing Lane Meant for Entertainment, Sports and Recreation

Although the General Urban Plan was preceded by thorough studies, which showed that its realization would contribute to the quality of the life of the citizens of Novi Sad, there have been certain allegations that the environment might be jeopardized, especially when it comes to the new rowing lane, which, according to the new GUP, should be an oasis of entertainment, sports and recreation in Novi Sad.

The rowing lane is not meant only for professional rowers, but for all citizens and tourists, and the bed will not be made of concrete, but sand, even though there’s been a false information in the public about concrete, which is not mentioned in any study or any part of the GUP.

The same goes for the allegations that Sodros is a protected area and that the realization of the project would have an impact on the flora and the fauna, which, according to the experts, and as the practice shows, is not true.

What’s little known in Serbia is that rowing lane projects are not rare in the world. A famous one is the lane in Lucerne, which is located in the middle of a protected area and which regularly hosts sports tournaments.

Another famous lane is the one on Lake Bled, one of the most important natural lakes in Slovenia, where the International Regatta takes place. On blogs which deal with traveling to Slovenia, rowing down Lake Bled is described as one of the most beautiful tourist experiences, and tourists are encouraged, even though it takes physical effort, not to miss the opportunity to enjoy this Slovenian attraction.

The director of the PE Urbanizam, Dusan Miladinovic, pointed out earlier, responding to the speculations about the rowing lane, that the negative comments about the project came from those who haven’t done any analysis or research.

– One of the studies was done by Vojvodina Projekt and another four professors from the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad, whose field of expertise is precisely defense from floods of high and ground waters. Those two independent studies have proven that there is no danger of Novi Sad being flooded. Because we took the planning documentation from an earlier period and the GUP and the regulation plans, the rowing lane serves as a part which will stabilize ground waters in Telep, while not allowing them to drop too deep, thereby preventing the parching of the ground – Miladinovic said.

The big project on the Danube coast in Novi Sad, on the line Kamenicka Ada, Ribarsko Ostrvo, Dunavac, Sodros, Brodogradiliste, is designed so as to create one of the future favorite locations for people of Novi Sad, but also for it to become a tourism location that cannot be missed, while complying with the highest standards.

The new GUP is meant to make Novi Sad a city with one of the most developed river coastal areas in Europe, and the development of the neglected Sodros and Kamenicka Ada is planned as well, where, through the realization of the project, a park area of as many as 145 hectares will be established. This will retain over 55 hectares of the protected area in Kamenicka Ada, and additional greenery is also to be planted in this area.