Heritage conservationists will initiate administrative proceedings against Prague due to Štvanice

Prague - Due to the poor condition of the ice rink at Štvanice, Prague's heritage conservationists will initiate administrative proceedings against the owner of the rink, the City of Prague. Jan Kněžínek, the outgoing head of the conservationists, stated this in an interview with ČTK. Kněžínek did not want to comment on whether Prague faces a fine. Last week, conservationists inspected the rink and deemed it to be in a state of emergency. Therefore, the building authority of Prague 7 ordered the rink to be closed last week.
    Last week, the conservationists from the municipal department responsible for state administration, which reports to the Ministry of Culture, representatives from the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ), the building authority, representatives from the municipal property management department, and the city structural engineer inspected the rink.
    According to Ondřej Šefců from NPÚ, the rink is in a state of emergency. Some beams are covered with wood-destroying fungi, and some areas of the floor are rotted through. "I agree with the building authority's decision to close the building. It would be reckless to let people in; it could easily collapse," Šefců told ČTK.
    He noted that the current condition is a result of the building not being maintained for a long time. "The neglect is severe. An independent and expert assessment of the damages, the stability of the structure, and the infestation of mold and fungi must be conducted very quickly," Šefců pointed out. Prague should also propose how the identified damages can be remedied. According to Kněžínek, remediation will likely be very complicated.
    Years ago, Prague rented the rink to a private company, Apex Club, but has been trying to terminate the lease since 2008. The company has rejected the termination, so the dispute is being resolved in court. According to the press department of the Prague city hall, the maintenance was supposed to be ensured by the company. Representatives of the company stated last week that there was no reason to close the premises.
    The ice rink, which serves the public and the training of hockey talents, was built in 1935 as the first artificial rink in the capital. It became a cultural monument in 2000. The capital has been grappling with how to best utilize the entire Štvanice area for several years. Therefore, it approved last year to prepare a change to the zoning plan, which should propose a use. In the past, there were considerations of building a concert hall on the island. The problem is that the area is threatened by flooding. It was affected by floods in 2002.