The new swimming hall at Petynka should start being built next year

Prague - The new swimming hall at Petynka should begin construction in the second half of next year. It will feature a twenty-five-meter pool with a sauna and a second pool with a surf wave, which can also be used for swimming lessons for schools when the wave is turned off. Petr Macháček, vice-chairman of the board of the company SNEO owned by Prague 6, which manages the swimming complex, said this today to ČTK.

The new hall will connect with the existing facility of the swimming pool. In addition to the twenty-five-meter pool, sauna, and children's pool, it is also expected to accommodate a restaurant that will serve both hall visitors and those in the outdoor complex. The wave pool is expected to be unique. "When the technology is turned off, it will be a regular pool with a low water level suitable for children's swimming, and with reduced wave power as an entertainment feature for children," described SNEO board member Lukáš Fiedler. There is currently no pool for school swimming in Prague 6.

By the end of June, a summary study should be completed, which will take into account all previous projects for the expansion of Petynka. The use of modern technologies such as solar heating or heat pumps is planned, and the possibility of using groundwater is being explored. In the summer, Prague 6 plans to hold a discussion with citizens.

This year, SNEO wants to start the zoning and building process and begin designing the hall. Its appearance will be designed by architecture students from ČVUT. Costs are estimated to be around 170 to 180 million crowns, and under ideal conditions, the hall should be completed in 2018, though Macháček considers 2019 to be more realistic.

"The Prague 6 council is repeating the mistakes of its predecessors - the ideological concept of such a large project was not discussed with the public, the project creators are being sought in a suspicious manner, and the project's financing is unclear," criticized former councilwoman Petra Kolínská (SZ) earlier. However, the management of the company and the town hall reject the criticisms.

The joint-stock company SNEO is responsible for investments and property management in Prague 6. Its share capital is nearly 250 million crowns. In the past, it was primarily focused on the privatization of apartments.