Jacek Kuroń Park

Jacek Kuroń Park in Sosnowiec is a municipal park of 30 hectares on ul. Anki Kowalskiej, in the northern part of the Kazimierz district. Previously the Leśna recreation and leisure centre operated here. To the north the park borders the forests of Dąbrowa Górnicza, and to the east the railway line from Katowice towards Kielce.

How a boggy forest became a leisure centre

The centre began with an idea from 1958 to build a sports and leisure complex on State Forests land from the Gołonóg Forest District as a voluntary community project by the employees of the Kazimierz-Juliusz mine.

The ground was very boggy and full of ponds: on the site of today's amphitheatre lay the overgrown Pieniążek pond, further on the Posadzka I and II ponds, the elongated Zalew Cygański (Swan Lagoon) and the muddy Smug pond. Construction began with drainage and levelling work and shaping of the shoreline. In 1965 construction of the amphitheatre started. During the political transformation the park was underinvested, which affected its infrastructure, and further renovations were carried out in the 21st century.

What you can do in the park

The park offers walks, cycling and roller-skating, and activities for children around two ponds.

• forest paths with marked cycle and roller-skating routes, renovated as part of the park's renovation
• a skate park in the form of a concrete bowl, built in 2012 in the central part of the park
• a Jordan garden (children's play garden) of 1.41 ha on the southern edge, created in 2016
• an amphitheatre known as the concert shell, rebuilt in 2019, with concerts organised since 2007 by the Kazimierz Youth Culture Centre (MDK Kazimierz)
• playgrounds around the bodies of water, enlivened with animal figures
• a small zoo with more than thirty species, including the red-necked wallaby, fallow deer, emus and peacocks
• two permanent bars, a banquet restaurant at the central point of the park and seasonal food outlets

At the park entrance, since 2020, there has been a city bike rental, with children's bikes, tandems and cargo bikes.

Trees, birds and amphibians

The park's trees come largely from the earlier forest. Around the body of water grow trees typical of riparian forests, such as black alder and silver birch, and further from the water species of oak-hornbeam woodland with hornbeam and oak. You will also see pedunculate and red oaks, limes, pines, ashes, maples and beeches. The ponds favour amphibians, and many species of birds live in the park.

Trails through the park

Two walking trails and two cycling trails run through the park: the Zagórze Forest and the Black Sea trails. The green PTTK 25th Anniversary Trail and the Via Regia also pass through.

If you want to extend your outing by the water, a few kilometres further on you will find Pogoria II Reservoir, about 6.6 km away.

Practical information

• address: ul. Anki Kowalskiej 2A, Sosnowiec, Kazimierz district (formerly ul. Brunona Jasińskiego)
• the park links Kazimierz with Dąbrowa Górnicza, and the street continues as ul. Kazimierzowska
• facilities and food outlets change from season to season, so check the current state before your visit on the websites of the city of Sosnowiec or MDK Kazimierz