Warsaw a City of Good Life

Warsaw – a city of good life

On 4 December, a year will have passed since Hanna Gronkiewicz Waltz was sworn in as the President of the Capital City of Warsaw for the third time.

“ Warsaw is a city of good life: accessible, diverse and attractive. With that thought, I present the most important investments and tasks realized in the past year. They help to improve the quality of citizens’ life and strengthen Warsaw’s position in Europe,” said President of Warsaw Hanna Gronkiewicz Waltz during the conference.

Campaign promises Hanna Gronkiewicz Waltz’s election programme „We all create Warsaw” listed 10 tasks for Warsaw, which are consistently carried out.

Warsaw is a city of everyday convenience

The future of young Warsaw citizens and their start in life are a priority. That is why since the beginning of the third term we have devoted our attention to investments that make everyday life easier.

Social housing Not all Warsaw citizens can afford to buy or rent an apartment. That is why building new flats is a priority. Since the term’s beginning, we have built 444 council flats, and Warsaw’s TBS (Towarzystwo Budownictwa Socjalnego, Association of Social Housing) has renovated 45 more. We continuously perform modernisations and renovations (more than 1000 since the term’s beginning) to ensure that the council flats have central heating installations as well as the access to hot water, sewage system and safe gas installation. The city budget has secured funds for installing central heating in another 129 buildings. This year, we have expanded the city’s TBS base with 5 buildings, where 110 new rental apartments will be created.

Education Warsaw is a city of great possibilities, and so the education of the youngest children is our priority. At the beginning of the term (on 17 December 2014), after just 8 months of works, we opened a kindergarten on ulica Kadetów. The new establishment accommodated 200 children. In the first year of the term, we have modernized 30 facilities and renovated 83 more. At the beginning of this school year, parents had almost 60,000 places in kindergartens at their disposal. The institutions are used by 3, 4 and 5- year old children. There are still free places in Warsaw kindergartens; just for the 3-year- olds, their number amounts to 100. We also have more than 6,000 places in crèches. In the last 2 years, that number has increased by 9%, and in the past year, we have created 412 new places in crèches and day care centres. The capital continuously gains new and modernized schools. Primary schools are currently being built in Wilanów, Białołęka, Bemowo, Wola, Wawer and other quarters. In August, we secured additional 366 million zlotys for the construction, extension and modernization of schools and kindergartens. The city intends to spend almost 850 million zlotys in total on education investments from 2015 to 2019, including the construction of 21 schools and 20 kindergartens, and modernization or extension of another 142 institutions. Warsaw makes significant investments in education: every year, around 1/5 of the city budget is allotted for that purpose. Since 2007, 11 schools and 18 kindergartens have been built, and around 500 establishments have been modernized or renovated. In the years 2007-2014, the city spent 2 billion zlotys on education.

Health Warsaw citizens care about their health. Therefore, we systematically increase the sums spent on improving the health care standard. Since December 2014, we have modernized 11 hospital wards and 9 outpatient clinics. 3 new clinics were opened in Mokotów, Wawer and Wilanów. Szpital Wolski, the hospital in Wola, gained the first geriatric ward in Mazowsze. The child hospital Warszawski Szpital dla Dzieci on ulica Kopernika was extended with a new pavilion: the three-storey building houses an emergency department, operating wing, rehabilitation rooms and treatment rooms. Just these investments that will be made in the hospital until 2019 will cost 31 million zlotys. A few months ago, we also opened a new part of Szpital Specjalistyczny im. św. Rodziny (St. Family Specialist Hospital). The improvements include a new labour ward (with 9 separate rooms) and a new operating wing. Moreover, the hospital now houses a mother’s milk bank, the second one in Warsaw and the third in Poland. We relentlessly continue to provide pneumococcal vaccinations for children, influenza vaccinations for senior citizens and antenatal classes for pregnant women.

Seniors The number of active seniors steadily increases. The city has been assisting them for many years: in the past year only, almost 1000 of them have been given advice at Punkty Cyfrowego Wsparcia Seniora (Senior Digital Support Centres), and 800 have participated in computer courses and classes. They know best what they need for their intellectual and physical development. 9 Warsaw quarters already have Senior Councils, setting the guidelines for the quarter and city authorities that provide assistance to the elderly citizens. A new residential building for seniors is under construction in the quarter of Praga-Północ, on ulica Stalowa 29. Last week, we initiated the campaign “Koperta życia” (Envelope of life”). Its purpose is to provide auxiliary information if an elderly person suffers from an accident or sudden illness, or any other circumstances in which there is no time or possibility to conduct background survey.

Social affairs For many years we have been opening free expert advice centres for the poorest Warsaw citizens. They offer legal, psychological and professional assistance. In the past year, we have answered around 130,000 questions in 50 centres throughout the capital. Almost 1,000 citizens, including the disabled, were helped with professional activation. Warsaw does not neglect the young generation. 3,550 students from 28 schools benefited from local support systems, and 1,200 children were granted free laptops with Internet connection (ARGOS project).

The city of accessibility

City transport Thanks to the changes in the city transport, almost 60% of Warsaw citizens use buses, trams, metro and SKM trains. Every year, almost one billion passengers choose public transport.

Metro On 8 March 2015, we opened the central section of the II metro line. Seven stations joined the right and left bank of the Vistula river. It was the largest investment launched by local authorities in Poland. Every day, on average 100,000 passengers use the metro. The line’s extension is in the preparation phase, and the contractors have already been chosen.

Buses 100% of Warsaw buses and SKM trains are accessible for the disabled. In the past year only, the city has purchased 104 new buses and launched 10 new bus lines, in accordance with citizens’ suggestions. Some of the new vehicles are particularly innovative: they include 35 natural gas buses and 10 electric buses, helping to decrease exhaust emissions to the atmosphere. The city has gained 46 new trams, as well. We have completed the construction of a new track in Bemowo and in the direction of Tarchomin, and the locals have been using the tram to reach the metro for a couple of months already.

City bike The past year marked an absolute record of the city bike’s popularity. Already as many as 370,000 people have accounts in the Warsaw system, which makes Veturilo one of the biggest networks in Europe. Since the system started to function, the city bikes have been rented a record-breaking number of 6 million times. That success would never have been possible if the city did not maintain bike paths. In the past year only, we have built 32 km of bike paths, and another 25 km are under construction. The capital’s bike network is already 446 km long. Bikers can use 363 km of bike paths, 55 km of shared- use paths and 28 km of bike lanes and counterflow lanes.

New roads and Most Łazienkowski Public transport is not all. Warsaw cares also for the needs of those who have to or want to travel by car. Last year, we have spent 240 million zlotys on road investments. Those include connections between quarters, such as aleja 4 Czerwca (former ulica Nowolazurowa) or the connection between aleja Dzieci Polskich and ulica Borkowska, as well as numerous renovations. The city spent almost 50 million zlotys on pavement milling. We achieved a considerable success when we completed ahead of schedule the renovation of Most Łazienkowski, a bridge which makes the communication between the two riverbanks much easier. We are waiting for the completion of another big investment, namely the tunnel in Wawer.

Recreational infrastructure In the past year, Warsaw has often invested in the infrastructure necessary for the physical development. Those facilities include 81 new or modernized playgrounds (for example on ulica Picassa and ulica Czerniakowska) and 28 new outdoor gyms (for example on ulica Magiczna and ulica Namysłowska). We have succeeded in modernizing 10 parks and greens (such as plac Hallera or Park “Leśnika”). The citizens appreciate such investments and are more and more willing to spend their time actively.

The city of opportunities and possibilities

Warsaw would not exist without its citizens’ potential. Creating an adequate support system, expanding the road infrastructure, investing in education and health care is not all. Warsaw citizens want to function within the city space and make full use of its potential.

Local centres Warsaw local centres have recently been created. After consultations and workshops, the Warsaw branch of SARP (Association of Polish Architects) recommended 10 sites which, thanks to the funds provided by the Capital City of Warsaw, will turn into places of meetings and leisure activities. The places of local activity (miejsca aktywności lokalnej, MAL) integrate the community, providing citizens a space to meet and act together. Events and classes organized there are free of charge, and open to every one interested. The citizens can both participate in them and organize them themselves. 8 MALs operate already in 6 Warsaw quarters. The modern cities’ development is based on the dialogue between the local government and citizens. That process’ intrinsic element is the cooperation with non-governmental organizations. We have backed the activation of local population and the civic education. We have extended the public consultations system, both in personal contact and on-line. Citizens are actively involved in the capital’s participatory budgeting. Some projects are already being realized, mainly those concerning the public space, education (including the organization of educational and sports classes for children and seniors), transport and road infrastructure, as well as culture. In the second edition of participatory budgeting (for 2016), citizens could allot more than 51 million zlotys, choosing from 2,333 projects proposed. More than 172,000 people took part in the vote and selected 644 projects. Warsaw citizens submitted 58 proposals for local initiatives such as ecological activities (social gardens) and integration events (fairs and dances).

Marketplaces The market dues in Warsaw have been lifted. Warsaw traders will be exempt from the tax from 1 January 2016. The construction of Zieleniak marketplace in Ochota, announced in the election programme, is almost completed. 20 million zlotys were allotted for investments that will improve the Warsaw traders’ working conditions.

Regeneration The programme grants 1.4 billion zlotys for the regeneration of right-bank Warsaw. The first steps have already been taken in the past year, including both hard projects, such as equipping flats with central heating and renovating apartments, and soft projects, for example the festival “Otwarta Ząbkowska”. During the weekend event, ulica Ząbkowska was closed for vehicle traffic and became a promenade and a stage for artists. The renovation of the Konopacki palace began a few weeks ago, and in another part of the quarter, the Warsaw Praga’s Museum opened. Another success was the creation of Warsaw Multicultural Centre, which carries out an extensive programme of foreigner assistance and activation, integration, anti-discrimination education, as well as preventing xenophobia and racism. Centrum Kreatywności Targowa (Creativity Centre Targowa) will soon be completed, and Google Campus proves that Warsaw’s efforts for the regeneration bring real results.

Vistula river Warsaw city space cannot exclude the Vistula river. After the past season, we can confirm that life has returned to the riverbanks. A surface of more than 130,000 m2 was adapted for cultural and recreational needs. The completed investments include a cycling path, the Vistula Boulevards, 240 metre-long piers for about 80 boats in Port Czerniakowski and more than 540 m of quays along the Vistula Boulevards. We created city beaches with 2,000 tons of sand and organized summer water tram trips on the river. Free ferry rides provide an additional way of transport between the right-bank and left-bank Warsaw. Moreover, as a result of such events as film viewings, concerts and outdoor cinema, the number of visitors to city beaches and boulevards increased by 100%. In order to make the citizens aware of their influence on the cleanliness by the river, we launched the social campaign „Dzielnica Wisła. Wyjdź na czysto” (“The Vistula quarter. Come clean about it”). We also want to propagate knowledge about the Vistula river. We have decided on the winners of the contest for the best architecture design of the Life+ educational pavilion, which will be built in Golędzinów. The pavilion will provide education back-up for teachers, enabling them to conduct nature classes both inside and in the field, benefitting from the natural value of the region.

Culture The city is an important organizer and patron of Warsaw culture. 70 cultural institutions and 200 city libraries can function thanks to the funding from the municipal budget. Warsaw regularly provides financial support to non-governmental organizations through a system of open contests. It also offers subsidies for national cultural institutions and funds numerous awards of national and international renown, such as the 6th place prize in the International Chopin Piano Competition. We continuously develop the cultural offer and support diverse art forms. We promote participation, understood as citizens’ taking part in culture and influencing the cultural policy. Moreover, we enhance the culture accessibility, which is proved by the success of the 3rd Warsaw Week for Culture Without Barriers that involved several dozens cultural institutions not only from Warsaw, but also from other Polish cities. We have also included new ideas in the Warsaw Cultural Education Programme. The larger budget on cultural investments provides citizens access to more modern culture facilities. Teatr Ochota has been modernised, the Warsaw Praga’s Museum opened a permanent exhibition, and soon will begin the construction of new buildings which will house the Museum of Modern Art, the theatre TR Warszawa and the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra’s concert hall, the largest cultural investment the city has ever made. We allotted for cultural activities as much as 25% of funds secured for the realization of the Integrated Revitalization Programme of the Capital City of Warsaw until 2020.

Sport Jogging remains the most popular sport in Warsaw. However, the city continuously expands the network of diverse modern sports centres. Some facilities that have been used for many years are now modernized, such as the “Active Warsaw” Sports Centre. The Szczęśliwice All-year Ski Slope is also being renovated. Soon the works at the Inflancka and Moczydło swimming pools will begin, as well as the renovation of the swimming pool on ulica Namysłowska. Having completed the project process, we have also gained permission to construct the roof over the “Stegny” Ice Rink. Moreover, our city hosts various international sports competitions, such as the Europa League final and the first stage of Tour de Pologne, which in its whole took place in the capital. Last year, we have allotted almost 20 million zlotys for supporting and popularizing physical culture by public benefit organizations. The sums spent on children’s and teenagers’ training and competitions have also increased, exceeding 15 million zlotys. 22,000 students are currently subsidized within the framework of extra-curriculum sport activities.

The city of activity Warsaw wishes to develop in a way that benefits future generations. That is why the city promotes pro-innovation and pro-ecology activities.

Environment protection The modernisation of the last sewage collector will soon be completed, ensuring that for the next several dozen years Warsaw sewage will be absolutely clean before being drained to the Vistula river. This year, a modern indirect ozone and carbon filter system have been installed in the Water Treatment Plant “Praga”. Thanks to the completion of that investment, every water supply station owned by MPWiK (the Municipal Water Supply and Sewage Company) provides citizens the highest-quality water. In the past year only, we have built 35 km of new water supply networks, so that 98% of citizens have now access to the water supply system. During the previous months, we have also built more than 32 km of new sewage networks and connected 1,881 flats to the city’s sewage system.

Tap water in Warsaw Schoolchildren can now drink tap water. There are water fountains in 100 schools already. The city pays for the fountain’s installation, subsequent water quality tests and warranty service. The children’s habit of drinking water every day will result in better consumer decisions in the future, making it an element of preventive health care. The social campaign “Wiem, co jem” (“I know what I eat”) is still running, and its purpose is the organisation of proper child nourishment in educational establishments. The rules of proper nutrition are learned by: -pupils during culinary workshops – 200 workshops, around 5,000 pupils -parents – 10 workshops, almost 900 people -staff responsible for school food – 8 workshops, 384 people -headmasters of all Warsaw schools and kindergartens – 4 conferences.

Waste sorting More than 1.5 million citizens sort their waste. The Warsaw Recycling Days allowed to collect more than 46 tons of e-waste. The municipal collection point by the Vistula river gathered more than 7,500 glass and plastic pieces of waste. This year, we have also opened 2 stationary and 5 mobile PSZOK (Domestic Waste Selective Collection Points).

Clean air Eco-friendly Warsaw is also Warsaw with clean air. We are about to adopt the Low- Emission Economy Plan. Various organizations and societies participated in its creation, submitting their remarks about the city’s draft. The city council will vote on the plan on 10 December.

Nature Education Centre In the Kabaty Woods complex, we have opened Centrum Edukacji Przyrodniczo-Leśnej (Nature and Forest Education Centre). The facility offers children and adults the possibility to learn about the natural values of the capital and the agglomeration. Warsaw continues the free animal microchipping campaigns. This year, however, we have additionally launched the first free castration and sterilization campaign. We have also distributed approximately 300 tons of feed to the caretakers of free-living cats. Moreover, we care for the animals’ fate in the Paluch animal shelter, which is systematically renovated and modernized. Last year, we have spent 800,000 zlotys on the shelter.

Innovations

The city received 3,000 visitors during the Warsaw Innovation Days. We regularly organize networking meetings (710 already). Last year, more than 12,000 people visited Centrum Przedsiębiorczości (entrepreneurship centre) on ulica Smolna, and more than 2,000 took part in workshops and meetings organized there. Centrum Kreatywności Targowa (Creativity Centre Targowa), a 30-million-zloty investment, is almost ready. It is located in the close neighbourhood of the Google Campus, which opened just a few days ago. We have granted almost 10 million zlotys worth of subsidies to citizens wanting to launch a business.

European grants For many years, Warsaw have been extremely efficient in receiving European grants. In the past year, the city has been granted 1.8 billion zlotys. The European funds helped to realize such investments as the II metro line, the Warsaw Praga’s Museum and the Creativity Centre Targowa. At the moment, Warsaw is applying for grants on future investments: new trams, completing the II metro line, renovation of ulica Marsa and ulica Żołnierska. Since 2006, Warsaw has been granted 10.8 billion zlotys.