Zenica Scouts Association built the Adrenaline World at the scouting centre

Who stood behind the project

The Zenica City Scouts Association was a community with long-standing experience and a developed network of members. It counted 569 active members in Zenica, with operational cooperation with the Scouts Association of F BiH gathering 2,950 members at the entity level. Over the years, it had built its own scouting centre with partially developed capacities, continuously supplemented through cooperation with institutions and international partners.

On that foundation, the Association launched the "Adrenaline World" project, a comprehensive upgrade of the existing infrastructure with adrenaline and recreational content intended for children and youth.

What problem the project solved

Children in Zenica and the wider ZDK showed interest in adrenaline activities. This was confirmed by the crowds at similar parks outside the canton: in Pionirska dolina in Sarajevo there was a queue for children to enter the park, and canoe tours on Trebižat attracted visitors from across BiH.

In ZDK itself, such facilities did not exist in complete form: neither an adrenaline park of this length with a rock and observation deck, nor canoe activities on still waters for a larger group of children. "Adrenaline World" was the response to that gap.

What was built - four components

Adrenaline park (extension of the existing)

• bridges and obstacles at a height of 3 to 4 metres
• placed between existing trees in a natural environment
• length of 60 to 80 metres (optimal dimension from experience)
• intended for children aged 4 to 14, with instructor supervision
• additional posts for transition from one obstacle to another

Mini zipline

• length of 60 to 80 metres
• with or without a brake, with a stopping platform
• cable 12 mm in diameter, adapted to user age

Artificial climbing wall with observation deck

• height of 7 metres
• requires adaptation and commissioning for safe use
• provides educational content at the observation deck itself

Canoes for still waters

• 3 CANADIER 525 PW canoes from the renowned Slovenian manufacturer ROTO Murska Sobota
• each canoe has 5 seats
• intended for still waters of ZDK - lakes and calm sections of rivers
• were used exclusively under qualified supervision

Who the project reached - capacity for tens of thousands of users

• 569 Zenica scouts as direct users
• 2,950 members of the F BiH Association through exchanges and camps
• Tens of thousands of youth and primary school pupils from ZDK and BiH through one-day trips and organised "Schools in Nature"

When in full function, the centre will bring new generations of children into contact with adrenaline sports every active day - safely, with qualified instructors and appropriate equipment.

Readiness and expertise

This was not a project with "an idea that might work". The documentation and approach showed mature preparation:

• The expert study of adrenaline content was developed by a specialised company with experience on similar projects in Sarajevo, Mostar, Široki Brijeg, and at Vlašić
• The equipment specification (canoes) was from the renowned Slovenian manufacturer ROTO Murska Sobota, including all required certificates
• Ecological standards were built into the plan; installation was done in a way that did not disturb the natural ambiance
• The City of Zenica had already reserved funds for this purpose in its budget

Sustainability - a maintenance network

The project did not depend on a single source for long-term infrastructure care:

• The Zenica City Scouts Association ran overall management and maintenance
• Members of the Mountain Rescue Service of the City of Zenica participated in maintenance, especially of the climbing wall and zipline
• Alpinist clubs and sports associations from Zenica were interested in joint use
• Video surveillance protected the infrastructure from unauthorised use

Broader partnership and prior investments

This project came as a continuation of ongoing development of the Zenica scouting centre, in which partners of various profiles had already invested:

• The City of Zenica and ZDK - infrastructure and maintenance
• Embassy of Japan in BiH - accommodation capacities
• Embassy of the USA in BiH through the "ONE DREAM" project - new tents, solar panels, solar collectors for water heating, sand volleyball court

The Zenica City Scouts Association therefore did not come as a beginner seeking a first impulse, but as an organisation with proven ability to attract and use international and local resources.

The message of the project

Zenica as a city has a strong scouting tradition: nearly 600 active members, international partnerships, and a built centre. What was missing was an infrastructural step from accommodation capacities towards active content attracting new users.

"Adrenaline World" was precisely that step. It was not a startup project, it was an upgrade of existing infrastructure with professionally designed content and verified equipment. When in function, children from across ZDK and BiH will have a place to go for a one-day trip or a "School in Nature" - without travelling to Sarajevo or Herzegovina. A local response to a local need, in its best form.