Lázně Bohdaneč will renovate the Sokol building from 1930, it will have solar panels

Bohdaneč Spa - The town of Bohdaneč Spa in the Pardubice region is preparing to renovate the Sokol Hall from 1930. The work will include exteriors that will reduce the building's energy demand. The Sokol Hall serves athletes but also functions as a cultural house. This was stated by Mayor Josef Štěpanovský (ODS) to ČTK.

"We are preparing a project and have applied for a grant that should cover 50 percent. It is for energy savings. We will be doing everything completely from the outside," said Štěpanovský.

The Sokol Hall in Bohdaneč was built between 1929 and 1930. Its design was created by the Brno architect Oldřich Šmída. He was a student of Josef Gočár, who is the author of some spa buildings in the town.

The two-story building has a rectangular floor plan and a main entrance on the façade. On the eastern side, there was a terrace with two columns, which was demolished after renovations in 1974. Instead, there is an extension. The building has a reinforced concrete roof.

Since its inception, the Sokol Hall had a main entrance on the ground floor, a caretaker's apartment, locker rooms, a kitchen, and a vestibule. There was a hall, side galleries, a stage, and a place for an orchestra. On the first floor, there were club rooms, additional side galleries, a balcony, a cinema, and further locker rooms.

The building belongs to the town. The Sokol Hall was taken over for one crown from the Sokol Unity in 2010. Since then, the interiors have been gradually renovated. Therefore, the town hall will focus on the exteriors. Plans include the replacement of doors and windows, a new façade, and insulation. A photovoltaic power plant will be installed on the roof.

"The appearance of the building should remain the same. This will help us save energy. And after the renovation, it will look like a Sokol Hall in a spa town. It hasn’t been touched for decades. We use the Sokol Hall not just for exercise but also for cultural events, there are balls, and we recently held an IQ festival there. The Sokol Hall also serves as a cultural house," said the mayor.

He believes that the town will be successful in its grant application and that construction work will begin next year. It is expected to cost approximately 18 million crowns, he added.