Everyone’s favourite urban excursion destination, Normafa in the Buda hills, is soon to undergo a major redevelopment, with a new car park and visitor centre. The aim is also to increase the proportion of green space through landscaping.
Maps illustrating the current and planned layout of Normafa, a bucolic getaway popular in winter for sledging and summer for hiking, have been posted onto the Hungarian-only Hegyvidék Council website. The proposed changes are clearly indicated.
In recent months, the most controversial aspect has been the large car park, where the tree clearance has raised considerable interest. According to the current plans, the council has cleared and landscaped a much smaller area than was originally envisaged. The resulting car park is unusual in shape, eliminating the need to cut down the 220 trees as first outlined, leaving 160 to grow around the parked cars – and promising to replace those ones as well.
Where the old car park and current bus stop are located will be covered over by an extension to Eötvös út, and a park and communal space will be set up there, adding to the attractions for any outing. The popular kiosks serving strudel and other treats will move here from behind the Ski House.
At the same time, traffic on the surrounding streets will be reduced, solving the random parking that annoys local residents. Other proposals include the Normafa Gate, planned to open this year, and the Eötvös Loránd Park, being set up on the site of the long-neglected Olympia Hotel. Both are projects are well under way.
