On Okrešelj solemnly laid the foundation stone...

On Okrešelj they solemnly laid the foundation stone for the new hut.



Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša, in the presence of Minister for Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek, Vice-President of the Alpine Association of Slovenia Miro Eržen, PZS General Secretary Matej Planko, and President of PD Celje Matica Franc Povše, laid the foundation stone for the new Frischauf Hut on Okrešelj. On this occasion, the Slovenian Prime Minister emphasized the importance of mutual cooperation, as only in this way can we build successful stories. "Slovenian mountains and Slovenian highlands and everything connected with the mountain environment are deeply in our hearts, they are part of our national identity and something that unites us."







At the end of last year, one of the most visited mountain huts in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, the Frischauf Hut on Okrešelj (1396m), burned down to the ground. For Planinsko društvo Celje Matica, it was a big shock, as two years earlier the Hut on Korošica had already burned down. With the assurances of the Slovenian government and the Alpine Association of Slovenia that they would help resolve the financial distress, the Celje club soon decided to build a new hut on the site of the fire. The conceptual project by Architectural Bureau Kultivator was selected. The new hut will be more environmentally and energy-friendly, it will blend into the natural environment of the Okrešelj cirque and will be comparable to similar modern facilities abroad. "The ground floor of the hut will be built from lightweight bricks on a reinforced concrete slab, all subsequent floors will be built in a wooden skeletal prefabricated system. The roof structure will be wooden. The building will be energy-efficient. A system for separate use of sanitary water will be installed and it will have all necessary systems for wastewater treatment. The building will have a ground floor, two floors and an attic with a size of 600 square meters of net floor area. The hut will have all necessary service areas in accordance with valid regulations and separate areas for employees. In the design of the living spaces, we followed current trends, so the rooms will be somewhat smaller, with 28 beds in seven rooms. We have also retained the dormitories, as they belong to a mountain hut. There will be an additional 21 beds in two dormitories. There will also be a multi-purpose common room on the upper floor, which can be used for various lectures, presentations and training. The central space of the hut will be a bright dining room on the ground floor with 80 seats. In addition, tables will be available on the terrace and in the immediate vicinity of the mountain hut," presented the project by PZS General Secretary and project manager for the construction of the new mountain hut on Okrešelj, Matej Planko.







The Celje club plans to carry out all construction work on the ground floor this year and prepare everything necessary for the erection of the prefabricated part. Over the winter, they will select a contractor so that work can begin in the spring, when weather conditions at this altitude permit. "When carrying out the works, it is necessary to know that the mountain hut on Okrešelj is located at an altitude of 1,396 meters above sea level. All construction materials will have to be transported by cargo cable car with a capacity of 350 kilograms or by helicopter. For this reason, construction costs will be significantly higher than usual in the valley. The construction conditions will also be very demanding for contractors due to the inaccessibility of infrastructure and standard equipment. The estimated value of the project for the construction of the replacement mountain hut is 1.1 million euros. The project will be financed from own financial resources, donations and sponsorships, and public tenders," added Matej Planko.







Ten months later, therefore, on the site of the former hut, we are laying new foundations and a new story. Without state financial support, this story would not exist. In August, the Ministry for Economic Development and Technology announced a call for support for mountaineering sports and multi-purpose recreational infrastructure. PD Celje Matica also applied for the new mountain hut project on Okrešelj. "We are pleased that the call was announced on the basis of the unanimously adopted amendment at the end of last year in the National Assembly. This year we will receive 200 thousand euros from this source. We believe that we will be able to use the remainder up to the promised 400 thousand euros for the continuation of the construction of the hut on Okrešelj next year. We will also apply for this project to the call for energy and material refurbishment of mountain huts, which is expected to be announced this year. The mountaineering club will provide 200 thousand of its own funds. The Alpine Association of Slovenia will contribute just over 100 thousand euros. We expect to raise 200 thousand euros through donations and sponsor contributions. In this regard, we must not forget the voluntary work of members of the parent mountaineering club and mountaineering organization and the Slovenian Army, which will provide free helicopter transport of materials, we sincerely thank everyone for the work done," added President of Planinsko društvo Celje Matica Franc Povše.







Minister for Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek also highlighted mutual cooperation in his speech. "Today's action is a symbol of our joint efforts, endeavors and, above all, desires for the mountain hut to shine again in its light. I am pleased that the state is also involved - at the Ministry for Economic Development and Technology, we have allocated 200 thousand euros for the renovation of the hut on Okrešelj. Preserving green mountain tourism places us in a sustainable context that we must maintain and upgrade, and it is also a huge potential not only for Slovenian tourists but also for foreigners, as evidenced by the numbers that have been rising sharply in recent years. Peace, diverse and active mountain experiences significantly increase our added value, which we must strengthen, and above all, we must know how to unite forces, not only in exceptional but also in everyday situations."







The Slovenian government has recognized the importance of the Slovenian mountain world and organized infrastructure in this world, so Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Janez Janša also promised assistance in building the new hut at the ceremony. "I believe that a building will stand here in a very short time, and not only for the joy of more than 25 thousand visitors as there were here last year, which is a large number, but also from the point of view of its importance for tourism. When we, still as opposition last year, submitted the PZS amendment for part of the funds needed for the construction of this hut, the Slovenian parliament experienced one of the rare moments of complete unity. All MPs supported it. This does not happen very often. But this vote shows that Slovenian mountains and Slovenian highlands and everything connected with the mountain environment are deeply in our hearts, part of our national identity and something that unites us. This government supports everything that unites us as a nation, so we will also help in the future to provide that part of the funds that are probably still missing to close the financial structure. There are still some additional options. One of them you mentioned. The next two years will also be years when we will try to remedy the consequences of the spring wave of the pandemic and within that there are also some additional European funds available."







PZS Vice-President Miro Eržen thanks all parliamentary groups in the National Assembly and all MPs who supported the PZS request for financial assistance and thus enabled the construction to begin. "But ahead of us are still years of demanding renovation not only of the Frischauf Hut on Okrešelj, followed by the renovation of the Kocbek Hut on Korošica. Slovenian mountaineers united in the Alpine Association of Slovenia have demonstrated a high degree of solidarity by collecting additional financial funds along with membership fees, so we justifiably expect to continue to receive assistance from the state, sponsors and donors in the future. In the Alpine Association of Slovenia, after all our efforts to start the renovation of the burned Frischauf Hut, we are satisfied and pleased that with the laying of the foundation stone the renovation does not begin only symbolically, but we believe that already this year within the planned construction works the first outlines of the new hut will grow on the site of the fire. The presence of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and the economic minister at this event strengthens us in the conviction that not only the foundations of the new hut but also the foundations of understanding will be laid, that huts and mountain trails are an important part of tourist infrastructure that needs systematic state assistance for its preservation, maintenance and ultimately development in terms of investments to meet modern ecological and energy requirements."







If you would like to help with the new construction, you can do so by transferring to account: 0510 0801 6743 162 or by SMS to 1919 (keyword: OKRESELJ5), with which you will donate five euros. You can help build the Hut on Korošica by donating to account 0510 0801 5958 723. Purpose: contribution for the construction of the new hut on Korošica, reference: 00 005.