Obvod Plzeň 1 is building a house for a children's group near Košutecké jezírko for 44 million.

Plzeň - The first district of Plzeň has started the construction of a two-story building for a children's group near Košutecké Lake. It will include a café and public restrooms for visitors who come to the lake for walks and swimming. The construction, costing 44 million crowns, is significantly supported by the National Recovery Plan and is one of the district's largest investments in recent years. It will be completed by the end of next year. In the new building, from spring 2026, there will be a children's group with a sports focus for 24 children, said the district's deputy mayor Miroslav Šuma (ANO) to ČTK today.

"Children under three years old will be able to be placed there, which will allow mothers to return to work sooner. Furthermore, there is no other kindergarten in this part of the district (the Košutka area)," he stated. According to Šuma, the building is based on the originally planned project 'Paluba Jezírko,' which the district revised last year. "It's a compromise. The original project only included refreshments. By incorporating a children's group, we have moved it further along. The spaces for the children's group and café will be structurally separated with their own entrances," he said.

The children's group will be on the ground floor of the new two-story building, while the upper floor with a green roof will feature an enclosed playground. The café, along with storage and facilities for employees, will be located in the left part of the building. "Additionally, there will be barrier-free public restrooms with changing tables for children. There will be an open recreational area in front of the café," said architect Petr Nosek.

The district aims to obtain part of the costs from the National Recovery Plan, specifically from the call for Building Capacities for Children's Groups, from which up to 25 million crowns can be drawn. "We have already received a decision from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs regarding the grant. The crucial aspect is that the project combines short-term measures, such as capacity expansion, with long-term investments in new approaches to children's education and upbringing. This will effectively address the current and future needs for preschool education in the city," said the head of the investment department Andrea Šlechtová.

The children's group aims to enable better engagement of parents with preschool-aged children in the labor market. The district has allocated 44 million crowns for the construction from its budget.

There is an open space at the construction site, where the Bacardi music club and boxing rings used to stand until 2020.