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On May 2, Jelgava officially opened the largest and most modern Water Tourism and Sports base in the Baltics, located at Pilssalas Street 5, marking the launch of its first rowing season and introducing a new tradition – ringing the Bell of Success.
“Jelgava is brave. Let’s not be afraid to say that this is currently the best and largest water sports base in the Baltics, and we should be proud of it. It offers top conditions for training elite athletes. I believe that the Latvian Olympic Committee and the Rowing and Canoe Federations should now work towards hosting the 2028 Latvian Youth Olympics rowing competitions right here in Jelgava,” emphasized Raimonds Lazdiņš, President of the Latvian Olympic Committee, at the event.
For eight months now, athletes in Jelgava have been using the most modern Water Tourism and Sports base in Latvia, where excellent conditions have been created for training and competitions for rowing, kayaking and canoeing athletes. The official opening ceremony event gathered city administration, the presidents of the Latvian Olympic Committee, the Latvian Canoe Federation, the Latvian Rowing Federation, the parliamentary secretary of the Ministry of Education and Science, construction partners, as well as coaches, students, and friends of Jelgava’s Children and Youth Sports School.
“Years ago, when we developed the Lielupe promenade on Krasta Street, we knew that it was necessary to also develop Pasta (Post) Island. Today, it’s enjoyed by both locals and visitors. But we didn’t stop there – we’ve now also transformed Pilssala and its surroundings. With a reconstructed road and a new Water Sports base, we’ve created another modern riverside destination. Rowing in Jelgava have always been respected and have a strong tradition, and it was our duty to honor this legacy by creating this base. I’m confident this base will nurture not only Latvian, Baltic, and European champions, but also future Olympic and World champions,” said Andris Rāviņš, Chairman of the Jelgava City Council, thanking everyone involved in this project and wishing the athletes success.
The facility includes three of Latvia’s largest boat hangars, each designed for a specific type of boat – rowing shells, kayaks, and canoes – with capacity for nearly 100 boats. It also houses a gym with specialized rowing machines, a conference hall, administrative spaces, and a designated section for motorboats. Respecting its location near the Lielupe River, the building features a unique second-floor terrace with views of the nature reserve, the river, and sporting events.
This is a major asset for Jelgava’s Children and Youth Sports School, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year in its new home. Since September, the school’s administration and rowing departments – including both Olympic-style and canoe/kayak rowing – are based here. Jelgava’s Children and Youth Sports School runs professional sports education programs in eight disciplines: rowing, basketball, BMX, judo, football, rhythmic gymnastics, canoe/kayak, and athletics, with over 800 children and youth currently enrolled. Athletes from other disciplines continue to train in facilities across the city.
The fact that this base is unique was also emphasized by the director of the Jelgava’s Children and Youth Sports School Jānis Leitis, indicating that no similar structure has been built in the Baltics in the last 30 years. “The previous rowing base on the banks of the Lielupe, built in the 1950s, was cozy, but very simple. Let’s not deny that for several years we were accompanied by healthy skepticism about a new base, which had long been in the city’s development plans, but today we can confirm that the city is really developing, sequentially realizing all its plans. And this base is a vivid example of this. All due respect to Jelgava, which does not deviate from its development visions, so that we can stand on the banks of the Lielupe today and celebrate the holiday,” said J. Leitis, thanking everyone for the opportunity for children and young people to train, as well as for coaches to work in such modern conditions.
To mark the first official rowing season, a new tradition was launched: the ringing of the Bell of Success, which will be sounded by athletes each year before their first launch onto the water. Event guests were invited to ring the bell themselves before releasing symbolic “boats of good thoughts” onto the Lielupe.
The new Water Sports base is part of a comprehensive development project for the Pilssala area. This included constructing a bridge over the canal, rebuilding Pilssalas Street, and creating new leisure and sports zones along the river. Additionally, a 67-meter section of the Lielupe bank has been reinforced, pedestrian walkways built, a new boat ramp installed, a physical activity area added, and parking and visitor infrastructure established – including facilities for both tourists and the nearby wild horses in the nature reserve’s neutral zone.
The project was implemented through two major initiatives: the ERAF co-funded project “Renovation of the Degraded Territory of Pilssalas Street” and the State Investment Project “Development of Infrastructure for Jelgava’s Children and Youth Sports School.” The total cost of both projects is 14,411,379.35 euros, co-funded by the ERAF, the national budget, and Jelgava Municipality. The construction was carried out by the contractor association “ABBA,” which includes SIA Abora, SIA Argus, and SIA Baltijas Būve.
