Kotor Varoš
Improved conditions for using the promenade for sports and recreational purposes
February 13, 2024
The municipality of Kotor Varoš is located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where, according to estimates, around 10,000 inhabitants live in this municipality. The local community of Kotor Varoš is the largest of 10 local communities, with about 7,330 inhabitants, making it the most populated part of the Kotor Varoš Municipality.
The project of arranging the Brana promenade, 215 meters in length, was initiated as a priority project at the forum of citizens organized twice by the local community of Kotor Varoš to enable safer access and use of the promenade for the wider population of the municipality - children, youth, recreational users, and people with special needs. Additionally, the realization of this project raised awareness of improving the quality of life for all citizens in this area, as the promenade is used for sports and recreational purposes.
The arranged promenade is available for use not only by residents living in the urban area of the municipality but also by citizens from neighboring rural local communities who do not have this opportunity. Also, the promenade will be available to fishing associations, sports clubs, ecologists, and other associations for carrying out program activities.
Renovation and equipping of the Maslovare kindergarten
The project "Equipping the Children's Kindergarten in Maslovare" completely adapted the space, created and equipped a room for children's wardrobe, and adapted the restroom. Construction work was done after which furniture and equipment were purchased. The goal of this project was to enable preschool education for children in rural areas. The kindergarten is intended for all children up to 6 years of age from the Local Community Maslovare and neighboring local communities.
“Initiated by the residents at the citizen's forum in Maslovare, the idea was to open a kindergarten in this local community. After the Municipality provided the space and approved the project, work began on renovating the building and equipping the space. The kindergarten, with its own funds, additionally equipped this space as requested by the representatives of the Ministry when obtaining the permit, and in March 2023, the Organizational Unit "Maslačak" started operating as part of the Public Institution Children's Kindergarten "Larisa Šugić" Kotor Varoš.”Mladen Tepić, the director of the kindergarten
Tepić adds that the most important change that occurred is that the kindergarten opened its doors for the first time to little ones who do not live in the urban center of the Municipality. Parents living in the Local Community Maslovare have the opportunity for the first time to provide their children with preschool education close to where they live. The capacity of the kindergarten has been increased, new workers have been employed, and it has also given an incentive to young married couples as they have received a new service in the place where they live.
“Children in this local community were mostly with their grandparents or stayed with their parents and did not have the opportunity to socialize with their peers and thus socialize. In addition, they received new didactic toys and furniture adapted to children of their age and equipment in the yard where they can play. By staying in kindergarten and applying the preschool education program, the children from the kindergarten are in no way behind their peers from the city when starting school,” adds Tepić.
The local community, namely the Municipality of Kotor Varoš, contributed to the functioning of the kindergarten in this local community by allocating additional funds for equipping the kitchen, the yard, purchasing air conditioners. Furthermore, it provided funds for educators and support staff, as well as the costs of food and maintenance of the building during the kindergarten’s operation.
Tepić says that in the long term, this way the local community has been "revived" and it has encouraged young married couples to stay and live there. The advantage for children is that they have received a new service and that the number of children with preschool education in the Municipality of Kotor Varoš has increased, which is also the goal of local authorities: “This positive example may be the initiator of changes in other local communities where there is a need to open kindergartens for children,” concluded Tepić.