New method of repairing the Hot Spring Colonnade is set to be faster and cheaper

Karlovy Vary - The proposed new method of repairing the technology under the Vřídlo colonnade should be faster and cheaper than the previously suggested temporary relocation of the current technology outside the colonnade. This was stated today by Deputy Mayor Petr Bursík (ODS) to journalists. The new leadership of Karlovy Vary wants to repair the technology for treating the spring water directly in the underground spaces, which it will reinforce beforehand. The city council approved the detailed development of this variant to save the colonnade on Thursday, and a decision should be made by April at the latest. The underground beneath the spring hall is practically in a state of emergency, Bursík added.

"The ceiling will be fully supported and subsequently cut into removable sections. A new steel structure will be inserted into it, which will then be covered with concrete. The entire underground space will be cleaned, and a completely new floor will be created above. And of course, a new basin will also be installed," said Bursík. According to estimates, this method of reconstruction should be cheaper and faster by more than half. However, the exact costs and timeline will emerge only from further development, which should be completed in the next six weeks.

According to structural engineer Petr Hampl, the spring hall and its underground are in a state of emergency. The ceiling of the underground hall with the equipment for collecting and distributing the spring water through pipes to the spa hotels cannot be repaired with conventional remediation methods, Hampl said. The proposed solution, he stated, is based on a previously considered variant from 2014 and is feasible. "If it is done by a company that knows what it is getting into, the risks will be minimal. The biggest risks will be during the actual installation of the supports, but these risks also arise during routine maintenance," added the structural engineer.

According to former Mayor of Karlovy Vary and current opposition councilor Petr Kulhánek (KOA), risks do exist nonetheless. According to him, the problem could be the selection of a company that could repair the colonnade and technology according to the city's expectations. "There is a risk that no one will be found who would even enter into any relationship under the conditions the city envisions," Kulhánek told ČTK. In this context, he expressed concern that the start of repairs may be delayed and the colonnade will continue to deteriorate.

The colonnade dates back to the 1970s. The previous city leadership wanted to temporarily place the technology in special containers outside the colonnade building and then repair and reinforce the underground. The spring output is channeled into a substitute basin in front of the colonnade, but it currently has a regular two-week winter shutdown.