Medium cities of Central Pomeranian Region in the post-pandemic and war reality

Abstract

The article presents the socio-economic situation of five medium-sized cities in Central Pomerania after the territorial division reform of 1999, with particular emphasis on the condition of these cities after the COVID-19 pandemic in the conditions of the ongoing war in Ukraine since February 2022. The aim of the article is to compare the socio-economic and economic situation of five cities in Central Pomerania and to demonstrate the possibility of selecting a new “growth pole” among them, based on the analysis of the functions performed, communication accessibility and the scale and directions of development. The work presents various concepts of the potential administrative division of the region, indicating the role and functions of medium-sized towns and their importance in the settlement system. The author of the study cites the results of research and analyzes of other authors as well as concepts of administrative and functional changes covering five cities of Central Pomerania. Almost all studies emphasize that the two largest cities in Central Pomerania lost most of their former management functions and were “forced” to look for new development opportunities after losing their current socio-economic importance. At the same time, many authors note the advancement of Kołobrzeg in the settlement network of Central Pomerania and the increase in its economic potential. According to the author, improving the transport accessibility of Central Pomerania combined with the significant tourist, recreational and investment attractiveness of the region may become a key factor for changes in the hierarchy of the settlement network of medium-sized towns in Central Pomerania. Improving communication accessibility and new functions may be an impulse for the development of market services and non-market services, which may result in the emergence of a new, alternative “growth center” which could also play the role of a growing “economic locomotive of the region”. The research results and concepts for the development of the settlement network of other authors prompted me to propose my own comparative analysis and SWOT analysis of the condition of five medium-sized towns in Central Pomerania. The study also discusses the directions and possibilities of further transformations of medium-sized towns in Central Pomerania. According to the author, the post-pandemic and war socio-economic reality influences the directions and development of medium-sized cities in Central Pomerania and the possibilities of developing Kołobrzeg as an alternative growth center in Central Pomerania can now be realistically considered.