2021 November December Marina World

TALKING SHOP
moored, storage space and a larger
parking area for charter guests.
One of the biggest projects in the
master plan is the construction of a new
restaurant on the site of the existing
one, with plans for a lounge bar, club
space and conference hall, all with a
pleasant, nautical ambience. “We have
all the project documentation ready and
permits for the restaurant, as well as
for most of the planned investments,”
Marević says.
The plan envisages further
landscaping and improvement of the
existing asphalt surfaces. The grocery
store and the nautical equipment
shop will also be expanded and
reconstructed.
Preparations are in hand to transform
the hotel opposite the marina into a
wellness and active hotel with 64 beds,
finely blended into the natural ambience
of olive groves and shaped like stylized
Punat houses in a row. A swimming pool
complex, a children’s playground and a
recreational zone will complement the
revitalised accommodation, alongside
an olive growing museum and refreshed
marina beach.
“We want our guests to be better
connected with the village, as well as
to bring our marina closer to the locals,
so we want to arrange and enrich the
promenade that leads from the marina,
around the shipyard to the city centre
and back, with the aim of opening
and connecting people. Everyone
is welcome in our catering facilities,
parking is free for service users and
customers in the restaurants and
shops,” adds Marević.
The entrance to the marina will
The hotel resort, with its stunning pool, is
being transformed into a wellness centre.
be completely reconstructed, traffic
regulations will be changed and a
bypass promenade will be built that will
follow the new, future road and bicycle
path.
Although the depth in the marina is
sufficient, the entrance to the bay is
shallow. Marina Punat has worked to
deepen the seabed at the entrance
but, as the seabed is rocky, the work
is extremely expensive. The aim is to
continue, but co-financing is required.
The goal to increase the water
depth is not to facilitate the arrival of
superyachts but to improve the water
area in the bay. So far, the work has
significantly encouraged flora and fauna
to flourish and improved the seawater
quality.
Other plans also include continuing to
support Yacht Club Punat, a children’s
sailing club set up to educate and
encourage the next generation of
boaters.
Future vision
“We face great challenges in our small
environment where we are the leading
employer,” says Marević. Plans to carry
out large projects must be flexible and
have the support of the local community.
“We are already a huge marina with
1,400 boats in the port,” she adds, “and
thoughtful invention is needed to best
utilise the available space.”
“A very important factor in
achieving our goals is the extension
of the concession agreement with the
Government of the Republic of Croatia.
Modification of local urban spatial
development plans and extension of the
concession for the marina and shipyard
are mutually conditioned and are the
basic foundations for further growth and
development. The process of achieving
change is not simple and takes a long
time, but we are optimistic. Our goals
are clear and sustainable and it is
in the interest of local and regional
communities as well as at the national
level.”
“This is a key moment in the
development of our society, extremely
important for the sustainable
development of society and
employment. For decades, the Marina
Punat Group has been supporting
the local economy and community by
investing in sustainable projects and
employment, but also by numerous
donations to associations, institutions
and needy individuals. We want to be a
part of it for many decades to come!”
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www.marinaworld.com – November/December 2021