In 1989 the Krynica spa resort was evaluated from the economic, communal, recreational, sports and the medical database standpoint. The results proved quite unsatisfactory. The air, water and soil was too much polluted, a modern sewage plant and communal waste dump was lacking. The number of sports and recreational facilities was insufficient and the holiday homes and public buildings were of too low standards to suit the tourists needs and expectations. Only the surgical and medical equipment did not deviate significantly from European standards.
The new democratic Polish government appointed in 1990 began to implement a new program for rebuilding of the resort. The main focus was ecology and aesthetics of the town, hospital modernization, development of municipal infrastructure, tourism, recreation and sports. Krynica and the nearby towns received gas supply, and in 1995 a modern sewage plant and a new landfill began to operate. The town sewage system was rebuilt. As a result, Krynica now meets all the standards required for spa resorts and their environment.
Today the spa town may boast not only of its excellent mineral water springs, clean air and therapeutic microclimate. In the summer, the patients and the holiday makers may enjoy the beautiful and original flower arrangements, in the winter peculiar and beautiful illuminations. Nice place to visit is the Spa Park with its neat garden lines, picturesque ponds and numerous benches and small summerhouses.
Krynica’s popularity is increasingly promoted both in Poland and abroad.The resort has currently five partner cities: Amersham (England), Bardejov (Slovakia), Hajdúszoboszló (Hungary), Trillo (Spain) and Bulgarian Montana. It organizes annual cultural events and international sporting and economic meetings. A major cultural event is the Jan Kiepura Festival held here in August. The Economic Forum annual meeting takes place in September, and the Polish Mountain Biking Championships are held at varying yearly schedule. These and other events revive the former splendour of Krynica.
A Major undertaking and a great attraction for many tourists became the cable car Jaworzyna Krynicka which was built in 1997. A year later a modern sports hall, now the location of a world's major hockey tournament, was opened. The hall is also used throughout the year as a indoor ice rink.
Further development plans are wide-ranging and include, among other investments, a new ‘water town’ center with swimming pools, slides and other sports facilities, an extended network of routes for mountain biking and new cross-country skiing and horse trails. Renovation of the cinema and a new cultural and congress center are also planed. In 2003, the reconstruction of the toboggan track (a state-of-the-art bobsleigh run, most modern in Europe) on the slopes of the Parkowa Mountain was initiated. Due to the rapidly growing number of tourists an places urgent demand for new parking space. This need will be met by the planned multi-storey car parks which will be built in the city center and near the cable car stations.
All these activities have one common goal: changing Krynica into a modern health resort centre that would provide a comprehensive array of possibilities ranging from modern spa treatments through hiking, sports and recreation to promotion of culture and ecology.
