On November 24 in the village of Mucenieki in Ropaži district, a new sports stadium with a football field, running tracks and a hockey field was opened by the 1st deputy chairman of the municipality of Ropaži Ainārs Vaičulens, representatives of the project partner Elverum city municipality in Norway - international project coordinator Daria Monika Dyresen and the Football club " Elverum Football" director and coach Anders Bronken, Director of the Department of Development Instruments of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development Iruma Kravale, Head of the Department of Citizenship Migration Affairs Maira Roze, representative of the construction company SIA "SC Grupa" Māris Miķelsons, as well as Education, Youth Affairs, Culture and Head of the Culture and Sports Department of the Sports Department, Olģerts Lejnieks. A symbolic opening ribbon was cut by representatives of the Municipality, VARAM, Elverum municipality and builders.
A sports performance was given by the players of the "Valor" Football Club, the musical performance was provided by the singer Emīlija Kate Thomsone, and the event was led by Andris Bulis, a resident of Ropaži.
The stadium will be available for activities for every resident. It is planned to build lighting there by March 2024, as well as build a water supply system for the hockey field the following year.
The stadium was built as part of the project "Integration-related measures in Muceniekos" implemented by the municipality of Ropažu region, participating in the program "Local development, poverty alleviation and cultural cooperation", which is co-financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, using grants from the European Economic Area.
The aim of the project is to strengthen the integration measures in Muceniekos and the related reception center for asylum seekers by April 2024, promoting multicultural dialogue and closer cooperation between the municipal communities, providing sports and leisure infrastructure. The largest investment is the first phase of the Mucenieku Stadium construction, with a total cost of 779,784.60 euros, of which: reverse VAT - 135,334.52 euros, municipal financing - 144,450.08 euros, co-financing from the EEA financial instrument - 425,000.00 euros and state budget co-financing 75,000.00 euros.
