INFORMATION PORTAL OF THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE OF THE KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE Region IN TORUŃ

Marshal Piotr Całbecki visited today (23 July) the investment site in Grudziądz, where the Młyn Energii (Energy Mill) — a new regional self-government-run cultural institution — is being built in the former grain mill complex in the city center. The meeting with journalists focused on the progress of the construction work and artifacts uncovered during archaeological excavations. Among the discoveries in the Trynka canal, which flows beneath the building, was an intriguing piece of industrial heritage — a well-preserved Francis water turbine from the early 20th century.

“I’m pleased that we are saving the mill, a significant monument of industrial architecture, and that soon it will be buzzing with life as a regional cultural institution filled with interesting content and visitors. Grudziądz is changing for the better — we are restoring the city’s former glory, and the presence of the regional self-government is now stronger here. Grudziądz is a very important city, strategic for the development and functioning of the entire region,” said Marshal Piotr Całbecki at today’s press conference, accompanied by Grudziądz Mayor Maciej Glamowski and Regional Councilors Robert Malinowski and Michał Czepek.

Francis turbines (named after their inventor James Francis) are high-efficiency devices still used in large hydroelectric plants today. The find from the Trynka canal — manufactured by the German company Voith (still a hydropower leader today) — has a rotor diameter of approximately 2 meters and weighs 3 tons. It was part of an installation used to generate electricity. Since the turbine is complete and well-preserved, it will become part of a future museum exhibition.

Construction teams are currently working throughout the entire former mill (expected to be completed in Q3 of 2026). All unnecessary internal structures have been dismantled, and masonry and reinforcement work is underway, along with conservation-supervised cleaning of the brick façade and preparation of the foundation slab for the new wing. The investment costs 76 million PLN, with funding provided in part by our regional program European Funds for Kujawy and Pomorze.

The revitalized building — until recently a long-abandoned and neglected ruin — consists of three segments with six, five, and four stories. Once completed, the site will house seven large rooms (for exhibitions, workshops, and conferences), a performance hall seating 170 people, and a mezzanine café. The new wing will include a smaller conference room and office space. The center’s mission will be to present and promote the history and cultural achievements of the city and region, as well as to popularize knowledge in mathematics, science, technology, and the humanities. The first visitors are expected in 2027.

The construction of the Młyn Energii is currently the largest, most expensive, and most visible investment project in Grudziądz. However, the city has already benefited from the support of the Marshal’s regional administration and our regional programs. Nearly 200 million PLN was invested (project completed in 2023) in the modernization of public transport infrastructure, including the purchase of new trams and buses and the construction of bike paths. An additional 9 million PLN from the previous funding period was allocated to the reconstruction of Chełmińska Street. The Grudziądz Regional Specialist Hospital has also benefited from Marshal’s support — the expansion and modernization of the intensive care unit and construction of the central sterilization unit cost 25 million PLN. Funding from the Marshal’s Office also helped establish the Vistula River Trade Museum in a restored granary.

Funds from the current regional program (European Funds for Kujawy and Pomorze, FEdKP) are supporting, among other things, the expansion of the city’s selective waste collection point, the purchase of trams and ticket vending machines, and the development of the cycling path network. In the near future, funding agreements are expected for the revitalization of city gardens (Planty), a new cultural investment in historic granaries, and the modernization of the former Korzeniewski Department Store, which will be transformed into an intergenerational knowledge center.

During today’s press briefing at the Młyn Energii construction site, Marshal Piotr Całbecki also announced that the regional self-government has decided to grant 70 million PLN to the Grudziądz hospital for medical equipment, including a robotic surgery system. He also confirmed ongoing efforts with the Ministry of Health to secure debt relief and accelerate the restructuring process of the facility. Moreover, plans are already in place to relocate the Grudziądz branch of the Marshal’s Office to one of the historic granaries by the Vistula, following necessary conservation approvals and adaptation work.

Beata Krzemińska
Spokesperson of the Marshal’s Office

23 July 2025