Defris Partners: ÖSTSAM – Regional Development ... - WebNews

Main directions of development of the functions of the city as
regional centre
The further development of Włocławek as a regional centre depends on many external
and internal factors. The most important external factors include the changing
economic situation of the country and of the European Union, social and economic
policy of the Government, and policies of regional authorities. All these factors are
mainly objective ones, so the local self-government has limited possibilities to
influence them. With the internal factors the situation looks different. They are mostly
connected with the activity of local community and of the town’s self-government. A
high level of activity from the local community combined with good decisions about
the functions of the town to be developed, offer a chance for the growth of the town
and improvement in its competitiveness in servicing the whole region. The analysis of
services offered by Włocławek, including the expectations and needs of the people
living in the region, as well as the evaluation by the local authorities of the town, point
out that the town should develop the following services:
Specialised healthcare and hospital healthcare
Necessary activities to be taken:
• expanding the function of Wieniec Zdrój Spa, including the introduction of new
kinds of services as a spa;
• development of the voivodship hospital in Włocławek towards specialised
healthcare (cardiology, oncology, ophthalmology),
• development of private clinical hospitals.
Meeting these objectives will take strong lobbying actions and close co-operation of
the local authorities of the town with the voivodship authorities and the Ministry of
Health. The authorities of the town should create conditions for establishing non-public
healthcare units by offering preferential conditions for real estate purchase, tax
incentives etc.
Culture
One of the most basic and important tasks to be done to upgrade the level of cultural
services should be the improvement of the image and beauty of the town. To do this
the following actions must be taken:
• revitalising the oldest part of town including the area of 3 Maja Street, the Old
Market and the Embankment,
• improving the technical condition of important monuments of material culture;
• re-organising the buildings in the city centre.
Meeting these objectives will take serious financial support from the city budget and
other resources. The self-government should create a system of preferences and
incentives for the owners of buildings that must be renovated and redecorated.
Moreover, the development of cultural services will require:
• support by the local authorities of all initiatives connected with organising
major cultural events such as: exhibitions, concerts, theatre performances, film
festivals etc.
• improving the technical condition and looks of cultural premises (the building of
the Impresario Theatre, the open-air theatre);
• support for artists.
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