Kaunas proceeds with 45-metre observation wheel despite resident concerns

Kaunas Municipality has confirmed that a widely debated observation wheel will soon be built on Nemunas Island, LRT reported. Residents have questioned the location and criticised the lack of public consultation.

The wheel will stand 45 metres tall and have 32 gondolas, offering views of the Aleksotas and Žaliakalnis districts. The structure will be removable and could be moved to another location in the future.

Heritage protection experts have warned that the wheel could distort the protected panorama of Kaunas’ New Town and said the construction should be coordinated with the Cultural Heritage Department.

Construction is already under way on Nemunas Island, including pile drilling and the concreting of structures described as part of bicycle path works. So far, the work has produced two parallel concrete strips that do not lead anywhere or connect to nearby paths, prompting questions from the media, residents and opposition members of Kaunas City Council.

Some residents said the wheel was unnecessary in an area that already contains Žalgiris Arena, a swimming pool and the Science Island. Others said they were disappointed that residents had not been consulted about the location.

“Kaunas needs an observation wheel, but it is strange that it was built in such a low-lying place,” one resident told LRT Radio. Another resident said he would have preferred a location near the Aleksotas observation platform, where more of the city could be seen.

Other residents supported the project. “Of course it is needed. Of course I will go. And if they are building it, let them build as many as possible,” one woman said.

A ride will cost 10 euros for adults and 8 euros for children and students.

Tadas Stankevičius, head of Kaunas In, the city’s business and tourism agency that will operate the wheel, said the location was selected after consultations with other European observation-wheel operators and the Dutch manufacturer. He said Nemunas Island was chosen because it was expected to attract the largest visitor flows and provide the best prospects for views and financial return.

Stankevičius said the wheel was expected to be profitable and recover its costs within seven to 10 years. He added that profit was not the project’s main objective and that pricing had been designed to take different social groups into account. The agency plans to reinvest the money earned in increasing the city’s attractiveness.