The renovation of the Kopřivnice center for 140 million crowns is nearing completion, lasting over two years

Kopřivnice - The renovation of the Kopřivnice center in the Nový Jičín region for 140 million crowns is coming to an end. The transformation of the space into a modern place for relaxation and various events took more than two years. The town hall will officially open it on Friday with a program that will include concerts by Voxel and Pokáč, spokesperson for the Kopřivnice town hall Lucie Macháčková said today.

The author of the revitalization design was architect Kamil Mrva. "The aim of the project was to create a space for gathering people and holding events that would offer opportunities for pleasant seating and leisure time," the spokesperson stated. According to her, it is still necessary to resolve some defects and unfinished work, but passage through the center is already almost unrestricted.

The center features three new landmarks: a statue of the running Emil Zátopek, the so-called Lašská Gate, and a glass pavilion, which houses, among other things, a Tatra 87 veteran reminding of the city’s automotive history. "All paved areas have been completely renewed, and various types of original surfaces have been replaced with large-format tiles and poured concrete ... The non-functional fountain has been replaced with new water features located throughout the area in front of the cultural house," Macháčková stated.

The city has adjusted and expanded the greenery, planting new trees. "In addition to rows of trees lining the main corridors, a birch grove has been planted by the cultural house, and in places where planting was not possible, trees from large pots are growing. On the glass pavilion, the first green roof owned by the city has been established. The new furniture includes not only benches, bike racks, and trash cans but also new poster areas and information displays," the spokesperson added.

The center has added facilities such as retention tanks for rainwater for irrigation of greenery. "Another 'feature' is the lighting with intuitive control, which should allow for creating the desired atmosphere during various events and especially lead to savings. One of the latest adjustments was the beautification and expansion of the parking lot under Tatrovanka, where four electric car chargers will be installed in the future. Another new addition will also be public wi-fi," the spokesperson noted.

The Friday program will kick off at 5:00 PM with a concert by singer-songwriter Voxel & Co. "Václav Lebeda aka Voxel comes from Kopřivnice, so the choice of the first performer was obvious," said Lenka Heráková from the city’s cultural department. This will be followed by an official part, which will include the premiere of a time-lapse film capturing the revitalization process of the center, and then a fashion show in the glass pavilion which will symbolically map the development of Kopřivnice. At 7:30 PM, singer-songwriter Pokáč will perform.