Kaunas City Municipality has signed 25.8 million euros contract with “Conresta” for the construction of a water sports center. An exclusive building will be built next to the Žalgiris Arena, which will accommodate not only an Olympic-size swimming pool with 500 seat grandstands, but also a spa area and a sports club under its roof. Work is scheduled to begin in the beginning of autumn.

“Kaunas is definitely the cradle of Lithuanian sports. This obliges that as many athletes in different sports as possible have the right conditions for training ir preparation for future victories. The city is working purposefully for this purpose. The multifunctional water sports center on the Nemunas Island will also contribute to this. This will be the second swimming pool in Kaunas with 50-meter long tracks. At the same time, this place will serve the leisure and recreation of Kaunas residents”, said Kaunas Mayor Visvaldas Matijošaitis.

The experience of the contractor is beyond doubt

Five companies competed for the opportunity to build this extraordinary object on the Nemunas Island. The general contractor construction company “Conresta”, which has extensive experience in implementing ambitious projects, won the competition.

Among the most prominent projects implemented by the company are the automated “Continental” factory, the modern logistics center “Lietuvos Paštas”, the restoration of the historic “Pacai Palace” and the five-star “Pacai Hotel”, as well as the Palanga city swimming pool with wellness center and Palanga Concert Hall.

“The opportunity to build a pool of exceptional architecture is an assessment of our experience. We are preparing intensively for the work. Many years of experience and the competencies of our company’s employees will ensure the smooth implementation of the project. Of course, there are interesting challenges, but we are ready for it”, said Lukas Laukaitis, Director of Conresta.

The construction of the new water sports and entertainment center is planned to start in a few months, after the preparation of a detailed work project. Under the contract, the new complex will have to be built within 18 months. The total area of A+ energy class one-story building with mezzanine will reach 18.4 thousand sq. m.

It will merge with the relief of the Nemunas Island

The multifunctional water sports center will be located next to the Žalgiris Arena, on its western side. An arcade connecting these spaces will extend from the arena to the main entrance.

The new building will feature a 50 m. long 10-lane pool with 500-seat grandstands for spectators. International rankings and national championships will be available here. The second, smaller pool will serve for children’s swimming lessons. The swimming pool with all infrastructure will meet the requirements of the International Swimming Federation FINA.

There will also be a 300-seat spa area with three different temperature-controlled sauna complexes, entertainment pools for children and adults, whirlpool sauna complexes, relaxation rooms and a café. The water sports center also has a 200-seat sports club.

Economical and functional

According to the exclusive idea proposed by the architects of E. Miliūnas’ studio, the new building will be integrated into the naturally formed relief of the island.

According to the architect of the pool, Aurimas Ramanauskas, the unique location also dictated unique architectural solutions. The building uses the existing relief, which merges with the building and becomes its fifth façade – a green roof.

“When designing the center, the most modern water treatment technologies, maximum automation and economy of all engineering parts of the building were planned for today”, emphasized A. Ramanauskas, the author of the project.

The uniqueness of the whole complex is that during the warm season the function of the pool expands into a recreational outdoor area with ornamental plants, recreation areas, sports grounds.

No shortage of people who want to play sports

“The Nemunas Island is the axis of the new Kaunas center, where we already have the Žalgiris Arena, and the construction of the Science and Innovation Museum “Mokslo Sala” will start soon. At the same time, the infrastructure of the island itself will be renewed, so this place will become a real center of attraction for citizens and tourists. Kaunas has the strong support of the Government for large-scale projects in the city, therefore we are confident that this ambition to build a modern water sports center of high standards will be successfully implemented”, added Kaunas Mayor V. Matijošaitis.

Currently, about 2 thousand people of all ages attend swimming in Kaunas sports school. Trainings take place in the pools of Kaunas Swimming School “Šilainiai”, “Vilija” and “Dainava”, as well as in the pool of the sports school “Startas” on Miško st. Another swimming pool is located in the premises of the Lithuanian Sports University.

In 2013, the Kaunas Swimming Center, which is the only one in Kaunas with a 50-meter-long swimming pool, opened its doors in the Girstutis complex. This culture and sports center has been reconstructed partly using the funds of the EU, as well as Kaunas City Municipality and the state budget.