Hungarian resourcefulness: lookout tower instead of bus stop

In the small village of Nyugotszenterzsébet, Baranya county, a lookout tower was built instead of a bus stop, because that is what the town could get funding for, reports 24.hu and RTL Klub. The weird bus stop quickly drew attention to Nyugotszenterzsébet.

People of Nyugotszenterzsébet have been waiting for a new bus stop for a long time. Unfortunately, the village did not get funding for a bus stop, but it did get aid from the government to build a lookout tower, so authorities needed to get a little creative.

The lookout tower/bus stop was built in the fall of 2014, and it cost HUF 450,000.

People can wait for the bus inside the wooden establishment, and they can even go to the top and look around. Nine steps lead the way to the top which is just big enough for one person. From the top, one can see the houses of the village, the fields surrounding the town, and one can also watch out for the next bus. There are handrails to ensure safety.

“One would think that you can see the neighbouring village from up there, but you can’t”

-said a reporter from RTL Klub.

Of course, residents of Nyugotszenterzsébet found the new establishment a little bit strange at first, not knowing exactly what it was. One passer-by thought it is a two-in-one: a lookout tower and a bus stop. How convenient.

RTL Klub interviewed one of the village’s representatives.

“A lot of children had to walk all the way across the village just to get on the bus even in winter. Their shoes got all wet. Now, they do not have to walk across the village, they can easily get on the bus right here. This was built for the people.”

The representative also told RTL Klub that the project came into being thanks to their mayor’s resourcefulness.

“Thank God we have such a resourceful mayor. He did not give up when we did not get the money to build a bus stop. The village got the money for the lookout tower, and the matter was handled. He solved the problem.”

Nyugotszenterzsébet’s mayor did not wish to make a statement, but he did say that it would have cost HUF 500,000 just to get a permit for a new bus stop, and the less-favoured village just did not have the money.

Below is the report on the strange bus stop by RTL Klub (Hungarian).

Featured image: From the video above, source: www.rtl.hu

Source: www.24.hu; www.rtl.hu