Opava is preparing the reconstruction of the ice stadium

photo: www.zimnistadiony.cz

Opava - The Opava City Council is preparing a reconstruction of the ice rink. It is planned to be divided into four phases, with the first phase expected to start in 2018. The costs for the complete reconstruction may reach 100 million crowns. The city aims to obtain funding from public sources for this. This was stated by Dalibor Halátek, the deputy mayor of Opava. The Opava ice rink was built in 1953 and was roofed as the third in the country in 1956. Its current capacity is 5,500 spectators.

The city has already commissioned a study to determine the possibilities and estimated costs. It will be completed by the end of March. "The maximum costs could be 100 million crowns. The requirements of the hockey club must be incorporated into the study. The capacity should be for 3,000 standing and seated visitors," he stated.

The work will be divided into four phases. First, the facilities and changing rooms will be repaired. The next phase will involve the replacement of the cooling system and the ice surface. The next reconstruction will focus on the stands, and the last one will concern the restaurant. "All work should proceed gradually and during operation so that the hockey club's activities are not interrupted. We should start with the renovation of the changing rooms in 2018," the deputy mentioned.

He added that everything will also depend on whether the city obtains grants for the project. City representatives believe this will be possible. "For example, we will apply for a grant from the hockey association, which contributes specifically to the reconstruction of cooling systems and ice surfaces," he stated.

Currently, disputes regarding this part of the project are one of the reasons for the tense situation at the Opava City Hall. The local coalition, composed of independent candidates elected under the ANO movement, the ČSSD, Změna pro Opavu, and KDU-ČSL, has lost three votes. This resulted in them losing their majority in the council. One of the defectors was Milan Kolář, the manager of the Opava hockey club. He told ČTK that he has long been dissatisfied with the work of two deputies.

He explained this by their insufficient activity in applying for grants. "For a long time, we warned them about the possibility of obtaining grants from the association for the reconstruction of the ice surface. They did not respond at all. In the end, it was too late to submit a request. We lost that opportunity due to their negligence," Kolář stated. For this reason, he decided to leave the independent group around Deputy Mayor Martin Víteček and became a member of the newly formed ANO organization.

For Opava, the renovation of the ice rink will be the second major sports project. The Opava City Council also intends to build a new indoor swimming pool. The facility, estimated to cost around 300 million crowns, is expected to start construction in 2018. Project documentation is already being prepared this year. The existing pool is aging, approaching a state of disrepair, and the city does not rule out that it may be demolished in a few years. The new pool is planned to be built in the City Gardens, in close proximity to the summer swimming pool. According to the plan, both facilities will be interconnected in the summer months, allowing visitors of the indoor pool to utilize the slides at the swimming pool, for example.