Mayor of Crikvenica, in a major interview ahead of City Day, discusses the falling tree on the beach, the tourist season, municipal challenges, plans for a pool, the sale of Jadran d.d., and the concession for the Town Beach.
Ahead of City Day, the Mayor of Crikvenica, Ivona Matošić Gašparović, gave an extensive interview to Crikva.hr, reflecting on the most important topics for the town and its citizens, from the recent falling tree on the beach to the major infrastructure projects that lie ahead.
Commenting on the unfortunate incident in which a tree fell on bathers, the Mayor emphasized that the most important thing is that there were no serious injuries. "I am sorry that this unfortunate event happened at all, but what is important is that no one was seriously hurt and that there are no serious injuries. At this moment, that is certainly the most important thing," said Matošić Gašparović.
All services, including firefighters, police, and the municipal company Eko Murvica, quickly responded and remedied the situation. According to initial assessments by horticulture experts, the tree was healthy, and the break occurred in the root area. "There were no signs of dry branches or a dry trunk on the tree; rather, the break occurred in the root area. The assumption is that this was contributed to by the shallow root system that this type of pine, the mountain pine, typically has, as well as the drought, which I would dare say is extreme," she explained.
The Mayor announced increased precautionary measures. "We will conduct enhanced inspections and examine trees in parks, on beaches, and in other public areas used by people, to prevent similar incidents in the future," she stated. She urged citizens to remember that nature is unpredictable and that responsible behavior is necessary, just as in traffic.
Speaking about the course of the tourist season, Matošić Gašparović assessed that the peak of the season is good. "In conversations with restaurateurs and private accommodation providers, you hear that they are seeking one more bed. That is a sign that the peak of the season is good, as it is every year," she said. However, she noted that June saw a decline compared to the earlier pre-season, Easter holidays, and May, which were good in terms of occupancy.
"Because of that, I cannot say that I am completely satisfied, but we look optimistically toward the post-season," she said. The goal, according to her, is year-round tourism, and after the season, all stakeholders should jointly analyze how to become more competitive. Interestingly, she added, indicators of tourist satisfaction are always higher than the satisfaction of the citizens themselves, which is an incentive to work on a more authentic and higher-quality offering, especially in hospitality.
In the summer, Crikvenica's population multiplies several times over, putting pressure on public spaces and the waste management system. The Mayor appealed to citizens to be mindful of waste disposal, especially in nature or near public bins. "This makes the job of our utility company more difficult and creates a bad image of the destination," she warned. Within Eko Murvica, a team has been formed that washes public surfaces every morning, which, as she says, is visible, but it can always be better.
Regarding parking, the Town has had two tow trucks for two years, which has a preventive effect. "People are a bit more careful about where they park," the Mayor noted, adding that the law strictly prescribes the conditions under which a vehicle can be removed and that sometimes the same effect is achieved by writing fines. New parking zones have been established in Jadranovo and Dramalj, and in Crikvenica, a building permit is awaited for parking near Rasadnik, outside the town center. The long-term goal is to provide parking outside the town core and, with shuttle transport, relieve traffic, increase pedestrian comfort, and improve air quality.
One of the infrastructure topics discussed with representatives of Croatian Roads is safer connectivity of settlements and reducing the number of access points to the Adriatic Highway, especially near Dramalj. "The intention is to try to connect settlements as much as possible and direct them to a smaller number of highway access points, thereby enabling safer traffic for vehicles and pedestrians," she said. The Town has begun work on a conceptual solution for a footbridge at the entrance to Crikvenica, before HAK, which would resolve that part of Dramalj and enable safer traffic.
Regarding the long-awaited pool, the Town has issued a public procurement for the formation of a project team with experts from various fields. "The procurement is complete; we are moving toward signing the contract. They will have several months to form the project brief, and then by the end of the year, we would issue a tender for the concrete project for the construction of the pool in Crikvenica," she announced. In about a year and a half, the Town could have a finished project and examined spatial possibilities. The pool is planned on the site of the current swimming area, and she hopes it will be of Olympic dimensions, with accompanying facilities and the possibility of covering, which is important because Crikvenica does not have an indoor pool.
In the final part of the conversation, the Mayor highlighted that Crikvenica is entering an important moment regarding the sale process of the largest hotel company, Jadran d.d. "I believe and hope that Crikvenica will experience a kind of breakthrough in this regard. We hope that the new buyer, whoever it may be, will invest serious funds in the development of the destination, primarily in the development of hotels," she said. If someone comes who will invest serious money, raise the quality of the hotels, and open them year-round, the destination would, in her words, go up several notches because the hotel company is the driver of the entire economy.
Alongside Jadran d.d., she singled out the Town Beach as one of the most important topics. "One of my wishes for all of us is that the Town Beach finally gets its concessionaire. We are working diligently on that with the County, and I firmly believe that by the next season we will have a serious concessionaire and investment in the Town Beach," she stated. These two segments, in her opinion, currently most undermine the image of the destination as a whole.
To conclude, the Mayor emphasized the importance of unity and a partnership relationship between the Town, services, and citizens. "It is important that citizens feel that the Town of Crikvenica and all our services are extending a hand of support and cooperation. They are key to us, both as support and through feedback, and through a partnership relationship," she said. The common goal, she concluded, is for Crikvenica to be better, more beautiful, more organized, and more pleasant for the lives of citizens, as well as for the tourists who come to it. "That is our joint job," said Ivona Matošić Gašparović.
