Hot summer on a panel housing estate — a familiar situation for most people living in Košice. And now news from the Košice-Západ district (Košice-West district): on Sunday, August 16 at 4:00 PM, the revitalized Katkin park was officially opened in Luník II. This is the largest investment by the city district in recent years, and its purpose is simple — to make summer in the district more bearable.
What has changed in the park
The project with the long official name “Support for the creation of green and blue infrastructure elements” cost 1,014,911 euros. The lion’s share — 933,718 euros — was provided by the European Regional Development Fund and the state budget within the Slovensko 2021–2027 program, and the Košice-Západ district (Košice-West district) contributed a little over 81 thousand euros from its own funds. The funds were approved by the Cooperation Council for Sustainable Urban Development of Košice back in May 2024, construction work started in October 2025, and was carried out by the company Metrostav Slovakia.
With this money, a lot of useful things appeared in the park:
- permeable surfaces instead of old asphalt — water after rain soaks into the ground instead of standing in puddles;
- a pedestrian fountain and a drinking fountain;
- two rain gardens that retain water and cool the microclimate;
- new trees, perennials, lighting, benches, and trash bins;
- ramps instead of several stair flights — now the park is convenient for strollers, elderly people, and residents with limited mobility.
Separately, with its own funds, the district renovated the playground with sea-themed play elements. Sports grounds for volleyball and basketball were also preserved.
What this means for the district
The mayor of Košice-Západ (Košice-West district), Marcel Vrchota (SaS), says that in the conditions of global warming, water retention in the housing estate is not excessive, so water retention measures were included as one of the main parts of the reconstruction. The mayor of Košice, Jaroslav Polaček, adds that the fountain really cools the area during the heat, which has been plenty this summer.
The reconstruction of Katkin park fits into the sustainable development strategy of the Košice agglomeration, which includes the city and 40 surrounding municipalities. Nearby, by the way, stands the former Družba cinema, which the city plans to turn into a cultural center — the Terasa district is changing from several sides at once. If you are not yet familiar with the eastern metropolis, check out our guide to the cities of Slovakia.
If you live in Košice or plan a walk in the east of the country — the park is already open to everyone. And on a hot August day, the fountain tempts no less than any festival.
