January 10, 2021 - The renovation of traditional stone houses on Marjan in Split has begun as part of the 'Marjan 2020' project. 

HRT reports that the works are part of a large project which should be completed by the end of the year and includes the reconstruction and revitalization of the Botanical Garden, a new observatory on the Saddle (Sedlo), new bike and hiking trails, trim trail renovation, and complete multimedia signage.

The concrete roof has been removed from the stone house, which was once built in the port of Lubin. Although they have not served their purpose for a long time, each house has a name: Saddle, Baba Marta's House, Pojevina, Firefighting road, Nursery, and Police (Sedlo, Kuća babe Marte, Pojevina, Protupožarni put, Rasadnik, Policijska.

"This part includes works exclusively in the area of Bene, while we will move to the area of the top of Marjan in the next period," said Ante Šustić, the manager of the reconstruction project.

By the end of October, all seven Marjan houses will look like they were built - and will be a real example of traditional folk construction, says HRT.

"The old plaster should be removed, some should be grouted, and it will mostly be a cover of old stone slabs. This will be done by masters who are a little older and who have already done it," said Zdravko Budimir, a representative of the contractor.

The cadastre from 1831 shows that there were vineyards, olive groves, orchards, and pastures on the peninsula's southern slopes and part of the northern ones. As everywhere in Dalmatia, chapels and shelters for people and cattle were built next to them. After the renovation, the houses will be used for the education and promotion of Marjan.

"This is a very extensive project, Marjan 2020 - the hill of the past, an oasis of the future, which provides for numerous activities, in fact, the restoration and addition of content within the Marjan Forest Park. We are renovating the training area, the children's city, new walking and cycling trails will be built, the trim trails will be renovated, so we will renew a lot of these facilities through the project," said Radojka Tomašević, head of the International and European Projects Service of the City of Split.

The project's total value is 26 million kuna and most of it is supported by non-refundable European funds.

You can see the video on HRT.

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August 4, 2020 - The City of Split has announced they will begin the renovation of seven traditional stone houses in the Marjan park-forest, which were used to store tools and shelter people and animals during storms.

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that the estimated value is HRK 700,000 without VAT, or HRK 875,000 with VAT included. This is a 50 percent increase in costs compared to the 2017 estimate of HRK 501,375, which was stated in the application documents for the EU project "Marjan 2020 - Hill of the Past, Oasis of the Future".

The application document (form B) for the Marjan 2020 project was signed on April 28, 2017, by Robert Koharevic, former director of the Public Institution for Marjan Park and Forest Management, and the city councilors from the opposition managed to get it after a lot of pressure on city structures. 

The document states that the houses will be of educational content and show visitors traditional folk architecture. But later, at the presentation of the project, it was noted that they would be used to sell souvenirs. The obvious location for this purpose is the Visitor Center, which has been adapted outside the park-forest, in the former substation under the Marjan rocks, near the former hotel "Ambasador".

However, in form B, it is stated that due to the revitalization of the botanical garden, the houses will be converted into souvenir shops. 

Namely, the project, according to which Marjan ceases to be a "hill of the past" and becomes an "oasis of the future", envisages that around 2.4 million kuna is earned annually from the sale of souvenirs. Thus, for the next 11 years, that is a total of about 26 million kuna in earnings, which is approximately the total budget of this project!

Interestingly, the earnings from souvenirs are considered more profitable than the annual earnings that would be realized from the transport of visitors by electric bus (452,000 kuna), transport by new boat that would bring tourists (875,000 kuna), tickets for the adrenaline park (565,000 kuna) and concessions for the paintball field (30,000 kuna).

The annual income from these services would be 1.9 million kuna, which is about 400 thousand less than what would allegedly be sold from souvenirs.

However, there are no Marjan souvenirs that would ensure the profitability of the project yet. Or at least we haven't seen them yet.

Namely, according to the EU program, the competition for souvenirs and their presentation was to be held by June 2019 for 80,000 kuna.

During this period, "designing 3 site-specific souvenirs" had to be done. It was also necessary to "make one special souvenir that will contain the text in Braille". In addition to the above, it is calculated that "T-shirts, USBs and the like as souvenirs and a reminder to visit the park-forest" will be sold at the Visitor Center on Trumbiceva obala, at the foot of the Marjan steps.

Recall that in 2019, a vessel for the transport of visitors had to be procured, the price of which, according to the documentation, is 3.75 million kuna for an electric or solar-powered vehicle , as well as an electric bus for a little over one million kuna.

The EU project Marjan 2020 will create more jobs in the park-forest. For this, it is necessary to hire seven people indefinitely - an electric bus driver, skipper and sailor who will operate the electric/solar boat, informants and sellers of various park-forest facilities, while over the summer, two more people are expected to help. The botanical garden would employ the head of the interpretation center and one gardener. HRK 1.26 million should be allocated annually for all employees, while the total annual project costs would amount to HRK 3.7 to 4.3 million.

In the best years, which is the first few years, the project would bring in 800,000 kuna per year, while after that, it would drop, and after seven years, it would drop to 400,000 per year. In the 11th year, it would amount to only 25 thousand! It is clear that such a calculation significantly depends on the sale of souvenirs. Namely, the profit that would be realized from their sale should amount to more than 50 percent of total revenues.

That is, souvenirs would have to bring in 2.4 million kuna every year so that the total annual income of the project would be around 4.3 million. However, the profit would be the highest at the beginning of the project.

The planned investments of the City, the Split Tourist Board and the Public Institution were around 6.6 million kuna, while the total return of money (cumulative) after ten years would amount to approximately 6.2 million.

It is interesting that in the same document, it was calculated that the City would be in a substantial deficit of 13 million kuna after 11 years, if it invested everything itself, or that it embarked on such a project without EU assistance.

But even with EU assistance, the project is walking a thin line in terms of sustainability as total souvenir earnings in 11 years (26 million) should be higher than 75 percent of grants received from the EU. Can souvenirs, which are yet to be made, save this project from losses?

Whether this Marjan project has the potential and magnetism to attract tourists remains to be seen.

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The City of Split sent out a press release regarding the implementation of the project "Marjan 2020 - Hill of the past, oasis of the future", reports Splitski Dnevnik on April 5, 2019. 

“Following on the topic of activities within the Marjan Forest Park as part of the project 'Marjan 2020 - Hill of the Past, oasis of the future', we want to inform the public about the real situation, to communicate every phase of this project, which we are incredibly proud of, actively and transparently from the start. 

Over the past couple of days, two planned items within the project have started a public debate, namely setting up an adrenaline park for children and adults and setting up a network for the paintball field. We emphasize that these two financial activities amount to about 850,000 kuna with VAT, which represents about 4 percent of the value of 21 million kuna. The value of the paintball field in the project is only 117,000 kuna.

Furthermore, it is only these two activities in the Forest Park itself, along with the Botanical Gardens after reconstruction, which are planned to be reviewed.

For all citizens of Split, most of the activities will be free, and we remind you that the project involves the renovation and reconstruction of all these contents and the implementation of the following activities:

- Interpretation of the Botanic Center - Botanical Garden:

- Designing a detailed project for the Botanical Garden - estimated amount 80,000,00 kn

- Revitalization of the Botanical Garden - estimated amount 1.997.914,10 kn

- Reconstruction of Marjan’s houses - estimated amount 401.100,00 kn

- School in nature for Children (Bene) - estimated amount 334.624,00 kn

- Thematic ecological and educational trails - the story of Marjan - estimated amount 96.000,00 kn

- Educational trail ‘Baba Marta’ - estimated amount 54,700.00 kn

- Visitor registration and monitoring system - estimated amount 158.250,00 kn

- Electric bus for the transportation of visitors - estimated amount 1.050.000,00 kn

- Educational film about the flora and fauna of Marjan - estimated amount 120.000,00 kn

- Application - interactive guide of Marjan - estimated amount 240.000,00 kn

- Multimedia content for kinesiological development of children and young people in the nature school with a 3D game - 'Meet the botany' and equipment - estimated amount 184.000,00 kn

- Multimedia presentation of Marjan - estimated amount 128.000,00 kn

- Workshops for pre-school children - estimated amount 48.000,00 kn

- Workshops for Split Elementary Schools - estimated amount of 48.000.00 kuna

- Workshops on multifunctional development of children and young people in nature - estimated amount 11.200,00 kn

- Educating the local population - estimated amount 24.000,00 kn

- Guide training - estimated amount 20.000,00 kn

- Audio guide and a map of Marjan - estimated amount 148.000,00 kn

- Watchtower - Sedlo - estimated amount 3.793.296,38 kn

- Communal equipment - Benches and baskets - estimated amount 175,023.20 kn

- Children's Town - estimated amount 214,700.00 kn

- Outdoor exercise equipment - street workout - estimated amount 363.910,00 kn

- Routes and roads - estimated amount 371.100,00 kn

- Mountain biking trails - estimated amount 535,700.00 kn

- Paintball area - estimated amount 93.850, 00 kn

- Mobile adrenaline park - estimated amount 554.800,00 kn

- Signaling system and road signs for Marjan - estimated amount 101.400,00 kn

- Internet points - estimated amount 120.000,00 kn

- Specific souvenirs - estimated amount 24.000,00 kn

- Futsal and basketball court (Spinut) - estimated amount 949,970.00 kn

- Bocce at Bene - estimated amount 68.400,00 kn

- Picnic zone Bene and First peak - estimated amount 53.760,00 kn

- Promotional tourist material for Marjan - estimated amount 189.600,00 kn

- Info on the opening day of Marjan - estimated amount 8.000,00 kn

The above amounts exclude VAT. The total eligible costs are 16.855.478,97 kn (21.069.338,71 kn with PDV).

We believe that it is clear from all this that the project 'Marjan 2020' is directed towards the public, primarily to Split citizens of all ages, concerning future commercial content.

Public information has been published several times, saying that the area for the paintball field occupies 40.000 m2, which is entirely inaccurate, and the planned space for this is 2.500,00 m2 (50 * 50 m2), which is 20 times less!

There is entirely inaccurate information on how we will build a fence wall. It is about setting a transparent protective net which will be lowered and raised depending on the event, 200 meters long and not 800 as some have specified.

It is not true that the trees will be removed! Activities of this kind are just happening in a natural environment and trees are absolutely needed in the field. Only tree branches the height of a tall man would be removed to prevent injuries.

The mobile adrenaline park was developed after previous workshops, which showed the need for the development of climbing content in cooperation with affirmed sports climbing athletes in the Forest Park, and because there is no room for climbers in Split, especially for the youngest, a park with climbing facilities and climbing instructors. This park is demountable and mobile and will adapt its setting to opportunities within the forest area.

All these elements, i.e., the whole project, obtained consent from Split-Dalmatia County, the Department of Communal Affairs, Utilities and Environmental Protection in March 2017, and from the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Heritage Management, the Conservation Office of Split in April 2017.

The Ministry of Regional Development and Funds of the European Union also signed an agreement at a session of the Government of the Republic of Croatia held in Split in May 2018 with the project manager of Marjan.

The City of Split continues to be open in communication about this project with any interested institution and all its citizens, as it has from the beginning, through the media announcements and through the public presentation of the project on Marjan on September 13, 2018.”

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As part of the project "Marjan 2020 - a hill of the past, an oasis of the future", the City of Split initiated the public procurement procedure for the construction of setting up a demountable adrenaline park, reads the City of Split Facebook. 

The location of the future adrenaline park will be located east of the bay of Bene, where it is easier set up more compatible content, such as paintball, picnic areas, and a bocce ball court. Marjan forest park does not currently feature an adrenaline park, although such a program is fully compatible with the recreational character of the space, the City of Split says. 

The modern tourist market makes the adrenaline park a common and viable part of the offer of destinations that aim to meet a wide range of requirements. The goal is to make quality moves with minimal interventions in the natural heritage - putting the entire previously devastated infrastructure into the function of new growth, development, employment, as well as improving the overall sustainability and the biodiversity of the Marjan forest park.

The installation of the demountable adrenaline park is in line with the project activities of the School of Multilingual Development and Sporting Facilities of Marjan.

The project will directly affect the increase in the number of visitors and tourists through targeted content, activities, products and infrastructure, and bring Marjan glory and recognizability in Croatia and the world as one of the main symbols of the City of Split, the City adds. The estimated value of the works for the new adrenaline park is 554.800,00 kuna (without VAT).

Please note that bids must be submitted no later than April 16, 2019 (Tuesday) by 10:00. The offers must be sent to Grad Split, Split, Obala kneza Branimira 17, on April 16, 2019, by 10:00.

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