PMFORUM Breaking News

Reported by Arnis Leikarts in Riga

The Latvian National Project Management Association (LNPMA)has announced the winner of the Latvian National Project Excellence Award in the Medium Projects category is the Project "Renovation of the Old Bridge across the River Venta and Establishment of an Attractive Tourism Territory in the Heart of Kuldiga." The award was presented at an Award Ceremony in Riga, Latvia on 27th May, 2009 during LNPMA's 9th International Project Management conference "Professionalism. Efficiency. Excellence."

Starting from 2008 Latvian National Project management association announces application to Latvian National Project Excellence Award. The projects are assessed according to the principles and criteria's of "Project Excellence" model provided by IPMA.

The project initiator was the Kuldiga City Council. Project users include Kuldiga City Council, Kuldiga residents, visitors, tourists.

Project team members were Kuldiga City Council, the European Regional Development Fund (hereinafter called the ERDF), Latvian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Latvian Central Finance and Contracting Agency, construction designers "Inzenierbuve", Ltd., landscape architect Guntis Kalnins, building contractors - "MA-Taka" Ltd., "AVA" Ltd., supervisors - "VCI" Ltd. and "Celu Inzenieri" Ltd.

The project objective was to establish an attractive tourism territory by renovating the most significant cultural and historical site, a major tourist attraction of Kuldiga - the old bridge across the River Venta - and by developing the infrastructure for the "living museum" complex. The Project was implemented in close cooperation with ERDF, Ministry of Economic Affairs of Republic of Latvia and Kuldiga City Council. Project management team consisted of project manager Jana Jakobsone, Project coordinator Iveta Heidena, lawyer Inese Ozola- Gutpelca, and financier Ineta Kleinberga.

Within the framework of this project, a unique cultural monument was preserved, its use promoted in the tourism sector, stairs and viewing area reconstructed, and informational materials prepared.

During reconstruction of the longest stone bridge in Europe the following tasks were done: completely changed the sand fill, concrete arch bridge was reconstructed, monolithic concrete span built to increase dead-weight of bridge, concrete arch bridge in the whole brick railings replaced with specially manufactured for this purpose, "Lodes" clay bricks, bridge railings concrete surface changed to dolomite slabs, restoration of the existing railing dolomite slabs and cornices, restored masonry of railings, arch and facade, the bridge carriageway of the asphalt concrete pavement changed to the round and cobblestone surfacing and built clinker paving pavements, reconstructed bridge rain drainage system, in bridge span built municipal sewage, low intensity and electricity networks, reconstructed lighting networks, renovated and constructed new lighting fixtures.

Photo, from left: Andris Vilks (Member of the Award Jury, Director of Latvian National Bibliotheca), Iveta Heidena (Project coordinator), Jana Jakobsone (Manager of the Project), Arnis Leikarts (Board member for Awards of LNPMA), Zanete Ilmete (Chairwoman of the Award Jury and LNPMA), Inga Berzina (Mayor of Kuldiga City Council)

Restoration works were held in collaboration with the Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Construction designer "Inzenierbuve" Ltd., general contractor "M.A.-Taka" Ltd., construction supervisor "VCI" Ltd.

 Alterations to the existing Venta hub viewing area and stairs, were carried out following works: reconstruction of the existing dolomite stairs in the view area, built a new viewing area, renovated, built and installed a new small architectural forms (wood and metal staircase and the area railings, benches, waste urns), reconstructed networks of outside lights and lighting fixtures. Construction designer Guntis Kalnins, general contractor "AVA" Ltd., supervisor "Celu Inzenieri" Ltd.

In the framework of the project an international conference "Kuldiga Gateway - Gateway to the world" was organized as well as several public events that would represent the project to residents, visitors and media. The project timeframe: 17.01.2007. - 31.08.2008. Total project cost: LVL 2,092,448.09. For more information about the bridge project, please visit: www.kuldiga.lv.

The Latvian National Project Management Association (LNPMA) is a non-profit registered professional body of project and business managers with the aim of strengthening project management in Latvia. LNPMA is the Latvian national member of the International Project Management Association (IPMA), Switzerland, the global federation of over 45 national member project management societies. The aim of LNPMA is to popularise and explain the importance of project management sphere for providing competitiveness of products and services in local and foreign market. For promoting this purpose LNPMA organizes seminars, educational services as well as annual international project management conferences and project management days in different regions of Latvia . LNPMA also has published journal "Project Management".For more information, visit http://www.lnpva.lv/index.php.