Rožnov p. R. (Vsetín Region) - The restoration of the burnt lodge Libušín at Pustevny in the Beskids will not begin in spring as planned. One of the companies that competed for the contract appealed the decision, Jindřich Ondruš, director of the Wallachian Open-Air Museum in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, which manages the monument, told ČTK today. The start date for the restoration is thus postponed, and the exact date is unknown.
The museum was supposed to announce the name of the company selected for the reconstruction of Libušín today. The appeal from another company surprised Ondruš, as the criteria for the competition were, according to him, clear. Five companies were vying for the contract, and all had to prove their capability to carry it out according to the director. "All met these criteria; the deciding factor was the price," said Ondruš. The museum selected the company offering the lowest price.
The appeal from one company has complicated the restoration of Libušín since the museum wants to use trees that were felled in winter, when they have less sap. The winter logging period ends in March, but due to the appeal, the deadline for the conclusion of the competition will be postponed at least to the beginning of April, when the wood can no longer be harvested. Meanwhile, the museum had already arranged with the foresters for the logging of selected trees and was expected to discuss how the work would proceed after the conclusion of the competition so that everything would be completed by the end of March.
"It was tight, but it was doable. Everything was arranged. Now, after the competition concludes, we will have to adjust the schedule," Ondruš said. It is possible that the entire implementation will be pushed back by a year; the wood will be harvested next year, and construction work will begin, but it is not excluded that some preparatory work will be done earlier. "Everything will be agreed upon after the competition ends with the selected company," Ondruš added.
According to the director, it is now necessary to review the objections from the company and issue a decision; afterwards, another deadline will begin, which could end at the beginning of April. "The competition is simply not yet concluded," the director noted.
Libušín was destroyed by a fire in March of the year before last. The restoration was estimated to cost around 80 million crowns, but according to Ondruš, the companies offered lower prices. The museum wants to respect traditional methods during the reconstruction of the building, which was built in 1899 according to a design by architect Dušan Jurkovič. Libušín served as a restaurant and was one of the symbols of Pustevny. People, companies, and various institutions are also contributing to its restoration. The fundraising account already has over 10 million crowns. The Ministry of Culture had previously promised assistance, and the museum should also receive funds from the insurance company.
Police have already charged a fifty-year-old man from Karviná in connection with the fire, claiming he neglected the repair of the chimney structures of this cultural monument in 2007. The man faces up to eight years in prison for general endangerment due to negligence.