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The first completed development element of the Lake Neusiedl (Lake Fertő, northwestern Hungary) investment, the northern port, has been handed over. As a result, from Thursday, part of the Hungarian shore of Lake Fertő is once again open to visitors.
Péter Ágh, State Secretary for Social Coordination of Public Investments at the Ministry of Construction and Transport, emphasized at the handover ceremony that the unique northern port basin was completed in the earlier phase of the investment as part of the civil engineering and hydraulic engineering works.
Approximately 35,000 square meters of new water surface has been created in the area.
The harbor bed was formed by dredging. The sailing and boating harbor is protected from the open water by a pier, which is separated by a three-meter-wide protective pier with a 25-meter-wide ship passage. A crane has also been installed at the harbor basin for lifting boats in and out.
The new port at Lake Fertő. Photo: MTI/Filep István
The politician added that the port is temporarily operated from service rooms set up in containers.
The parking lot has been covered with a surface that prevents any oil leaking from vehicles from entering the environment or the water.
The internal road leading to the port is about one kilometer long and six meters wide, he said.
Ágh emphasized that the Ministry will continue to support all partnerships in the future to ensure that further developments serve the recreation of local residents and visitors in a worthy manner. He expressed his hope that the plans would be met with social consensus and that “those who were previously opposed to this project would understand that the Hungarian shore of Lake Fertő also needs a high-quality waterfront center that meets the expectations of the local community.”
Photo: MTI/Filep István
Attila Barcza, Fidesz MP for Sopron and the surrounding area and ministerial commissioner responsible for the development of Lake Fertő and its surroundings, pointed out that it had already been discovered in the 1960s, that the current area on the Hungarian side was the best location for a tourist area.
He recalled that there had been repeated calls for the shore to be renovated, but the work gained momentum in 2015, when Prime Minister Viktor Orbán launched the Modern Cities Program in Sopron. Work began in the area six years ago, but a number of difficulties arose in the meantime, including the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the resulting energy crisis, followed by economic difficulties, he added.
Mr. Barcza emphasized that
one of the cornerstones of the development is the northern port, which can accommodate 400 ships and boats and is operated by the Lake Fertő Sailing Association.
He noted that as ministerial commissioner, it is his task to ensure that further development elements are implemented after comprehensive public consultation. This work is already underway, he added. The goal is to create an international marina in the area, incorporate the development of the southern port into the development concept, and plan a beach and an eco-center. In good cooperation with our Austrian friends, we must work together to make the tourist center a reality here in Fertőrákos, stressed Attila Barcza.
The Minister said that he had asked Attila Barcza to lead the effort to bring the ideas of the city and civil activists into line to draw up further development plans. “Let there be more forums, more discussions, where a development concept can be made in open or closed circles, in cooperation with the population,” he stressed.
Via MTI, Featured photo via Pixabay