Central Park, Bydgoszcz

Park Centralny was established in 1972-1974 on extensive meadows stretching between the Brda river and Toruńska street.[1]

Its creation is the result of two projects connected with the area. On the one hand, the rehabilitation of the Brda riversides which had started in the 1960s, aiming at tidying up and embellishing the bank promenades. On the other hand, the construction of a north-south road cutting through the heart of the city, part of the S5 expressway, crossing the river east of Babia Wieś district.

Footbridge across the Brda river

In 1973, a competition for the construction of a sport and entertainment hall in the park was launched. The prize winner was awarded to a design by Warsaw architects under the supervision of designer and sport champion Wojciech Zabłocki. The communist authorities had opted for buildings which shapes represented a "frog" (for the main hall arena) and a "butterfly" (for the sport hall), both displaying colored coating roof tops.[2] However, the dire financial situation that Poland was facing at the time did not allow the plan to be pushed to completion. Only tennis courts, archery tracks and asphalt walking paths were built.

In the second half of the 1970s, a pedestrian bridge over the Brda river was built at the level of Krakowska street, significantly improving the connection to the park from the northern districts of Bydgoszcz.

In October 2002, in the western part of the park, Łuczniczka, a sport arena with more than 8500 seats, was opened on the site of the former archery tracks. The name "Łuczniczka" (English: Archeress) is a reference to one of the city's hallmark, "The Archeress", a 1910 statue by Ferdinand Lepcke, standing in a downtown park. In 2019, with the firm Grupa Kapitałowa IMMOBILE becoming the main sponsor of the sports and entertainment arena for five years, the facility was officially renamed "Immobile Łuczniczka".[3] The construction of the complex was the opportunity to re-design the surrounding areas with:

Torbyd ice rink

"River Tower" being built

• new walking paths;
• a slipway for vessels sailing on the Brda River;
• new archery tracks;
• a cleaning of the greenery and new tree plantings.

Furthermore, watercourses and pond around the hall were renovated.

In September 2014, on the eastern side of the Łuczniczka hall, a smaller sports and entertainment arena (1500-seat capacity) was unveiled, Artego Arena.[4] The latter was first operated the same year as a warm-up hall for the matches of the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship that occurred in Bydgoszcz. On a daily basis, the arena is used by Bydgoszcz basketball teams, women's Artego Bydgoszcz and men's Astoria Bydgoszcz.[4] The facility is also rented for the economic fairs, exhibitions, concerts and shows.

On January 5, 2018, on the western side of the Łuczniczka hall, an ice rink named Torbyd has been inaugurated.[5] The 240-seat stadium replaces the old ice rink (dismantled in 2004) which used to be located at 11a Chopina street.

In 2020, a large real estate was unveiled on the western tip of the park, "River Tower".[6] Located along the river, in the vicinity of Łuczniczka and Torbyd halls, it consists of a pair of 64 metres (210 ft)-high and 20-floors towers. The twin buildings, encompassing 128 apartments, are the tallest residential edifice in Bydgoszcz and houses also a restaurant, a gym, a playing ground for children and a mini-marina.[7]

A new project has been unveiled in early 2021 by the city authorities: the creation of an open-air bathing area for 500 people along the Brda river.[8] So far, this announcement has been met with criticism. Commentaries report that the construction would imply the cutting of 94 trees of 25 species, including 6 monumental ones.[9] In addition, it would destroy most of the wetlands, reduce the biologically active soil and degrade the habitats of many vertebrates and insects.[10] In a will to placete the debate, the city of Bydgoszcz has decided to set up an on-line consultation about the project.[11]