Zadar Gets New Kindergarten: 45 Toddlers to Start in September
The Ričine branch facility has been renovated, with 446 new enrollment spots planned in city kindergartens by early 2027.
The Ričine branch facility has been renovated, with 446 new enrollment spots planned in city kindergartens by early 2027.
As part of the Sunce Kindergarten, the renovation of the Ričine branch facility has been completed, which will welcome 45 children of nursery age starting September 2026. Mayor Šime Erlić toured the newly renovated premises this morning alongside Sunce Kindergarten director Mirjana Miočić, head of the City Department for Education and Schooling Tihana Magaš, and Ričine Local Committee president Andrijan Sandrić.
The facility is located in the same building as the Ričine Local Committee and spans 300 square meters. An additional hundred square meters are designated for an outdoor children's playground. The total investment amounted to approximately 531,000 euros, covering the main project, construction and craft works, furnishing, and professional supervision. The space is adapted for three nursery groups.
Mayor Erlić reminded that just over a year ago he promised that all children would get a place in kindergarten. "Through the construction of new kindergartens, as well as the reconstruction of existing ones and the repurposing of additional spaces for children in existing facilities, we are one step away from achieving that goal. This kindergarten in Ričine will be attended by 45 children starting in September," he stated.
Director Miočić particularly emphasized the quality of the work: "The kindergarten is very well equipped, the construction work is excellently done, with the needs of children as the primary focus. The kindergarten also has underfloor heating, which is especially important for the nursery age group."
Work on the new kindergarten in Smiljevac began in July 2025, and the facility will accommodate 128 children. In Crvene kuće, a building for central functions has been under construction since June 2025, which will house, in addition to the local committee and clinic, a kindergarten for 72 children. The Pčelica Kindergarten is expanding its capacity to 128 places.
Additionally, the space in the Jazine II Local Committee building has been renovated, and documentation for a kindergarten in Kolovare is nearing completion. An extension of the Duga Kindergarten is planned for an additional 24 places, while in Ravnice, the Skok Kindergarten has been completed with two nursery groups and a sports program. The kindergartens in Smiljevac, Crvene kuće, Pčelica, and Duga will have a total of 11 nursery groups.
Head of Department Magaš highlighted that the City of Zadar secured 3.7 million euros from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NPOO) for four kindergartens that will accommodate 352 children. She also noted that this year, 160 more applications were received than last year. Starting in September, 120 more children will attend kindergartens compared to last year.
By the end of the first quarter of 2027, that is, by the end of the 2026/2027 pedagogical year, an additional 446 new enrollment spots will be opened in the City of Zadar area.
