A little bit of everything – this is how the projects could be described and the same applies to the spheres of applying entities: civic organisations, sport, religion, culture, education. The jury finally managed to choose 8 projects that should be implemented in the course of this year. The overall grant amount meant for 2020 is EUR 20,193. “Although there were more projects this time, it was easier for us, the jury to decide when compared to last year. All projects were highly professional and the applicants met the target of our grant programme. I supported mainly project for kids and youth that could help develop the sporting spirit. We want to see our children be more active instead of sitting and playing computers,” said Andrej Árendáš, the CCO TMR.
By 31st December 2019, i.e. the grant application deadline, 28 projects were submitted. The grant money will be used to buy cross-country skiing equipment for kids, a timing system for a ski club, doubles luges, a gazebo for the kindergarten in Vyšné Hágy etc. The terrain of the sports complex next to the settlement of Tatranská Polianka should be groomed to serve for cross-country skiing purposes, totems ought to be installed at historic monuments. And school kids from the Tatras can look forward to their own race bibs. “I am very happy to see that projects meant for children have succeeded too. Children are not only our future but also the future of the Tatras as such. If we support them to do sport, I believe they will continue doing it,” said Zuzana Hlavatá from the regional policy and tourism department at the Municipal Office in the town of Vysoké Tatry.
When choosing the projects, the jury agreed almost unanimously. The project of “Kyslíkovci” (Oxygen people) attracted the jury members most and was given the highest number of points. “It looks like a very meaningful project that aims to help children,” said Lukáš Brodanský, the sales-marketing manager of the Vysoké Tatry mountain resort.
Dušan Slavkovský, the general manager of the mountain resorts in the High Tatras considers the fact that individual projects are assessed by local people to be very contributing. “It is residents who know best what the Tatras and people living there need most. That is why it is important to hear their opinions too,” he said. “Our thinking is similar so the result was unequivocal. When the majority agrees on a project, it is clear the projecr has a high chance to succeed. Then it is only in the hands of the applicants to finish it,” said Jozef Janiga, the general manager of the Mountain Rescue Service. Matej Líška, a member of the municipal council in the town of Vysoké Tatry, added that sports projects were very important for the Tatras, the cradle of sport. “This is a very good thing that we did. A great project.”
Supported projects for 2020:
1. Kyslíkovci uniting together
The civic organisation called Kyslíkovci (Oxygen people) wants to use their eponymous rag dolls to take kids out to nature, to teach them notice the environment around, protect nature, move around it properly, help each other. Pupils from the primary school of Vyšné Hágy have been writing stories and poems about Kyslíkovci since 2017, taking them everywhere they go. They have made beautiful photos of Kyslíkovci on the road in cooperation with Martin Maličký, a mountain load bearer legend. The aim is to publish them in a printed form that would serve as a didactic tool. The rag dolls contribute to the physical and mental health of kids that live in the town of Vysoké Tatry.
2. Supporting small cross-country skiers
The primary school of Vyšné Hágy would like to help its kids and develop their relationship to cross-country skiing. The number of school pupils is growing and the sport is becoming more and more popular so the original “supply” of cross-country skis and boots at school is worn out and not sufficient anymore. The grant money should be used to buy cross-country skiing equipment (skis, boots, poles).
3. Race bibs for school kids in the Tatras
Kids from local schools in the Tatras often take part in various races that are organised by the town of Vysoké Tatry. So far, they had to borrow race bibs but thanks to the grant, they plan to buy 200 bibs of their own.
4. A timing system for a ski club
SnowSports Club is an alpine skiing club where experienced coaches train kids from 3 years. They applied for the grant to improve their material equipment and want to use the money to buy a timing machine that would be used for training as well as public races and events where no licensed timing device is required. The grant money will help the ski club improve the quality of the training process by adding timed training and saving money that can be used for other events meant for the local community.
5. Totems at monuments
There are many historic monuments and listed constructions in the territory of the town of Vysoké Tatry. To inform the passersby about the historic value of individual objects, there will be special totems near each of them – placed not to disturb their architecture but to be available for the public. Every totem will be about 150 centimetres high, made of wood and include various ornaments of nature history, Goral folk culture and also a special board installed as high as about 120 – 130 centimetres to inform about the cultural value of the given object in the Slovak and English language. The Tatra Parliament plans to cooperate with the Regional Monuments Board, the branch office of Spišská Sobota and local historians to implement the project. All totems will be made and installed by local Tatra inhabitants and volunteers.
6. Doubles luges for pupils
The Slovak Luge Association plans to buy double sleds for pupils. Doubles luge sport is getting more and more popular so the association would like to start train boys and girls at school age too. Today, there are no liges for pupils available. With help of the TMR grant money, the association could buy some and train the youth.
7. Terrain grooming of a sports complex and cross-country skiing trails near the settlement of Tatranská Polianka
The police sports club of Vysoké Tatry would like to groom the sports complex and cross-country skiing trails in the cadastre of the town of Vysoké Tatry, near the settlement of Tatranská Polianka. So far, the club members have been doing it by themselves. The aim is to make the trail grooming more effective also for cases when there is not much snow – by flatting the terrain a bit and adding bypasses and bridges, which will make the area accessible for the town inhabitants and the general public not only for the purpose of cross-country skiing in winter but also cross running and mountain cycling in summer.
8. At school and in the garden, in fresh air and in nature
The kindergarten of Vyšné Hágy would like to use the money of the TMR grant programme to build a gazebo in the school garden. It should be used for educational activities in sunny as well as rainy weather and offer shade on hot summer days. Built-in storage spaces will serve for storing tools and sandpit toys.
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Tatry mountain resorts, a.s. (TMR) is the leader in tourism in Central and Eastern Europe; it owns or leases and operates attractive mountain resorts, amusement parks, golf resorts, restaurant facilities, sports services, stores and hotels. In the Low Tatras, Slovakia TMR owns and operates the resort Jasná Nízke Tatry and hotels Hotel Grand Jasná, Boutique Hotel Tri Studničky, Chalets Jasná De Luxe, Hotel Srdiečko, Hotel Pošta and Hotel Rotunda. TMR is also the owner of Aquapark Tatralandia, the largest Slovak water park with year-round operation, which besides water entertainment includes Tropical Paradise, a special tropical indoor hall with sea water, as well as Fun Park, and accommodation in bungalows and suites of Holiday Village Tatralandia. In Slovakia’s High Tatras TMR owns and operates the resort Vysoké Tatry with mountain areas of Tatranská Lomnica, Starý Smokovec, and Štrbské Pleso, which TMR co-manages. In the High Tatras TMR also owns hotels Grandhotel Praha Tatranská Lomnica, Grandhotel Starý Smokovec, Hotel FIS Štrbské Pleso and A night on Mt Lomnický štít. In Austria the Group owns and operates the alpine glacier resort, Mölltaler Gletscher, and its sister resort, Ankogel Mallnitz. In Czechia TMR also owns a minority share in Melida, a.s., which leases and operates the Špindlerův Mlýn resort. TMR also leases and operates the ski resort Ještěd, Golf & Ski Resort Ostravice and leases Kaskáda Golf Rezort Brno, where it runs a hotel, a restaurant and a conference centre. In Poland TMR owns and operates Szczyrk Mountain Resort and Legendia – Silesian Amusement Park (Śląskie Wesołe Miasteczko). Real estate projects are mostly focused on development, construction, and selling of apartments and non-residential premises and on hotel lease in the TMR resorts. By the end of 2018 around EUR 350 mil. had been invested into development and modernisation of TMR’s resorts. TMR shares are traded on three European stock exchanges – in Bratislava, Prague, and Warsaw.