Pardubice has a study for the new form of Palackého třída

Pardubice - Pardubice could begin the first phase of repairs to Palackého třída in two years. Not only because of the costs of the completed new appearance, it will take at least six years. This was stated today by Mayor Martin Charvát (ANO) to ČTK. Architects completed the first study after six months and proposed a number of changes. The results were presented to the public today.

"For me, it is key that a clear vision has finally been prepared. We do not have the ambition to do it all at once. Imagine closing a key artery for two years. If I remember correctly, 1,200 public transport connections pass through here every day," said Charvát.

Politicians, urban planners, architects, and residents of the city agree that the boulevard does not look inviting or unified. During random repairs and furniture replacements, over twenty types of surfaces have accumulated on the ground, there are 12 types of bicycle racks, and seven different types of public lamps.

"In one small area, we counted three or four types of benches and one non-functional railing," said Deputy Mayor Helena Dvořáčková (ANO).

The street is dark and confusing due to low trees. On one side of the street, there are even bushes that separate the pedestrian area from the bicycle path and obstruct the view for both cyclists and pedestrians, said transport expert Zbyněk Sperat.

"In addition, our survey showed that the vast majority of people pass through here using public transport. Public transport should have a higher priority here than it does today," added Sperat.

People need a reason to linger on Palackého třída, and according to architects, urban transformation will help with that. For example, it should offer smaller playgrounds, nooks with benches, and gardens where people can enjoy a coffee. A new row of trees will also beautify the space. The visual change will stimulate interest in staying on Palackého třída rather than rushing away immediately.

"The space is neglected. For years, more and more layers were added, more and more things, but the old ones were not removed. It will be a kind of cleanup," said architect and urban planner Igor Marko jokingly.

The buildings on Palackého třída predominantly date from the late 1960s and 1970s. The construction was preceded by the demolition of older buildings. The street was widened. In the early 1960s, a synagogue was demolished, and in its place, the Service House was built at the beginning of the 1960s. In 1973, Prior, the first department store in Eastern Bohemia, was built on the site of former barracks.

Further plans for a hotel, concert hall, and cinema were not realized in the 1970s at today's Masaryk Square. The hotel and polyclinic building are from the 1980s. Additional commercial buildings were developed at both ends only in the new millennium. The projects of private companies that own the land of the former distillery and Prokop factory will also affect the appearance of Palackého třída.