People’s Park in Michałkowice

People’s Park (Park Ludowy) in Michałkowice is a park area in Michałkowice, a district of Siemianowice Śląskie. It was laid out in the interwar period.

History of the park

The park was created by decision of the then head of the commune, Walenty Fojkis, near old quarries. It was meant as an alternative to the private park of the Rheinbaben family, closed to the local population, that is, today’s Górnik Park. It remained in operation until the end of the 1970s.

The area was fenced. It contained two swimming pools, a separate one for adults and a paddling pool for children, with changing rooms, a toboggan run, a restaurant and a shooting range. The adult pool had a two-level diving tower with a springboard, and at the entrance to the basin stood two stone statues of lions. The park was crossed by numerous avenues, and residents called it the goat hills (kozie górki) or the stadium.

Mining damage

In the 1970s intensive coal extraction by the Siemianowice mine caused serious mining damage in the park. It led to the degradation of the pools and the park infrastructure.

Practical information

• Location: Michałkowice, Siemianowice Śląskie.
• The pools and former infrastructure have deteriorated; check the current state of the park with the town hall.