Construction of a swimming pool and sports palace initiated in Odesa

Odesa plans to update its sports development program by introducing new events and large-scale infrastructure projects. The priorities include the construction of a swimming pool, a sports palace, holding competitions at various levels, and supporting sports federations.

The relevant decision was considered at a meeting of the Commission on Education, Sports and Cooperation with Public Organizations of the Odesa City Council.

According to the commission, due to changes in the leadership of the city of Odesa, the sports department and the city council have updated the provisions of the program for the development of physical culture and sports. The draft amendments have already been sent to the relevant departments for review, and the key areas include both small and large-scale activities.

One of the innovations is the renaming and clarification of events that include Olympic and non-Olympic competitions in the city not only at the national and regional levels, but also at the local level. According to representatives of the city council, this opens up additional opportunities for financing sports events, especially those that did not take place last year due to various circumstances.

Traditionally, the program includes support for the Spartak Stadium municipal enterprise. This year, the city is allocating UAH 300 thousand to pay for electricity, just like last year.

A separate area of the program concerns the development of sports infrastructure. The priority is to overhaul subordinate facilities, including sports school No. 5 and a large gymnasium, as well as projects to build a swimming pool and a sports palace. All plans are to be included in the DREAM public investment system, which will allow attracting additional funds from the state and investors.

The commission emphasized the importance of compiling a list of sports facilities and project proposals, even if there are no ready-made projects or estimates yet.

"Our task is to lay the foundation to show that these projects exist and there is a need for their implementation," the commission representatives said.

According to the commission, in terms of support for sports federations, in 2026 the city will continue to fund 17 organizations, including the NOC, Spartak Stadium, Basketball Club for People with Disabilities, regional federations of football, handball, volleyball, swimming, chess, boxing, wrestling, and others.

The city administration has also unveiled plans to overhaul sports schools and beach sports facilities, including the gymnastics complex on Korolyova Street. The proposals have already been submitted to the public investment system for further elaboration and fundraising.

Changes and clarifications to the program will be submitted to the executive committee of the city council, and all interested parties will have access to the full list of planned projects and events.

In December last year, Odesa held an extraordinary meeting of the executive committee to discuss financial changes, anti-corruption updates, and city real estate issues. The meeting was expected to make decisions that would affect the distribution of investments and the further use of premises in the city center.

Анна Бальчінос