The committee will prepare all options for the future of the Hot Spring Colonnade

Karlovy Vary - A working group created by the Karlovy Vary councilors will prepare all future options for the Vřídelní Colonnade by autumn. It aims to outline estimates for the time and financial requirements of various solutions that the city may choose for the renovation or replacement of the aging colonnade from the 1970s. This was said today by the mayor of the city, Petr Kulhánek (KOA).

"The working group, which was formed within the city hall and includes representatives from the heritage conservation department, the investment department, and the management of spa resources and colonnades, is tasked with gathering all available information on individual options for handling the colonnade and presenting these options to the councilors in October,” Kulhánek stated.

Although the councilors have already committed the city management to announce an open architectural competition, Kulhánek emphasized that it is also necessary for the councilors to be aware of all other options, whether it involves repairing the existing colonnade and preserving it, building a new one based on the results of the international competition, or even constructing just a small open colonnade over the Vřídlo.

There is no unified opinion on the future of the Vřídelní Colonnade, part of which had to be closed at the turn of the year, even among the councilors. For example, the deputy mayor Čestmír Bruštík (independent) would be in favor of building a new colonnade. However, according to the mayor, those responsible for the city’s finances are more cautious. For instance, an international architectural competition takes several years, costs a lot of money, and its results are uncertain.

The task of the commission should be to compare all options and the costs that would be incurred.

At the same time, emergency repairs of the Vřídlo will continue. After relocating the spring in front of the colonnade, the city is awaiting the transfer of Vřídlo's technology from the underground of the colonnade to temporary facilities next to it. Subsequently, the repair of the damaged parts of the existing colonnade's dome will likely begin next year.