After a 2-year break caused by the pandemic and the complicated situation in the field of tourism, the Tatry mountain resorts, a.s. (TMR) company and the Vysoké Tatry resort have announced the third year of the grant programme known as “A Better Life in the Town of Vysoké Tatry”. 15 projects of various civic organisations and the regional government have applied for the grants.
The grant programme known as “A Better Life in the Town of Vysoké Tatry” was created by the TMR company and the Vysoké Tatry mountain resort in 2019 – as a transparent and system support programme to help the Tatras, interesting ideas and initiatives of local people. By the grant application deadline, i.e. 31st December 2022, 15 projects were registered. The committee consisting of representatives of the mountain resort and the local government divided EUR 20,000 to support 9 of them. A big amount of the sum shall help children and youth – to buy sports equipment for kindergartens and a sports club, first aid training manikins or multi-purpose playfield equipment. The supported projects include an educational trail between Tatranská Lomnica and Tatranská Kotlina, sports events and a culture festival.
In addition to three representatives of the TMR company, there were several representatives of the town of Vysoké Tatry in the jury as well. “I have supported mainly public interest projects, which means projects for children, youth and seniors. There have been several favourites, and I hope we have supported the right ones,” said Juraj Ganzarčík, the head of the Vysoké Tatry municipal authority. “The projects have been very interesting, I have supported mainly those focused on sport that as many people as possible can join,” added Gabriel Jamnický, a member of the municipal authority. Lugers in the Tatras whose work with the youth has been bearing fruit have received a lot of support from the TMR company representatives as well as the members of the municipal authority. “They are successful and I think the kids should be supported. We have a luge simulator and all preconditions for them to keep improving,” informed Darina Jatiová, another member of the municipal authority. “It’s never easy and a compromise is required every time. But one thing is clear for all of us – youth comes first, we like investing in children and the future so that was our strategy in the first place. In addition, we wanted to support some community events too as they can be important for the Tatras and the whole region,” added Dušan Slavkovský, the general manager of the Vysoké Tatry mountain resort.
Among other projects, the jury has liked the one of a mobile cross-country trail lighting system in Tatranská Lomnica, which hasn’t been supported in the end. “I have found this project very interesting, the trails are groomed very well and they were visited by many people in winter after work. It’s a pity that there have been too many unclarities – as for the land and permissions. I hope it can work out next year and it will be great,“ concluded Gabriel Jamnický.
Projects supported in 2023:
- Small rescuers
Applied by: “Zvedavé svište” civic association (parents and friends of the kindergarten in Nový Smokovec)
- Luge equipment for children and youth
Applied by: Slovak Luge Association
- Educational trail Tatranská Lomnica – Tatranská Kotlina
Applied by: Town of Vysoké Tatry
- Basketball baskets for the multi-purpose playfield in Nový Smokovec
Applied by: Town of Vysoké Tatry
- Sports equipment for the kindergarten in Tatranská Kotlina
Applied by: Town of Vysoké Tatry
- “Wooden fingers” volleyball tournament (22nd year)
Applied by: “TATRA FIT” civic association
- Tatra Cup – volunteer fire fighter competition
Applied by: Volunteer Fire Brigade Tatranská Lomnica
· Pétanque tournament for seniors in Tatranská Lomninca
Applied by: “TATRA FIT” civic association
- “Tatranské výšiny” (Tatra heights) festival 29th – 30th July 2023
Applied by: “Žiť Tatry” civic association
The TMR company operates tourism facilities in the town of Vysoké Tatry and is active as a strategic and long-term investor in this segment. In the course of 3 previous years of the above mentioned grant programme, 26 projects were supported with the amount of EUR 60,000 to build educational trails, gazebos, to buy equipment for kindergartens and schools, a sound system for community theatre performances, to support local sports clubs, to publish a book for children as part of the “Kyslíkovci” project, to groom cross-country skiing trails, to create book booths, information totems at sights etc. All supported projects have one aim in common – improving the life of the community and the environment of the town of Vysoké Tatry.
