<Písek> selected 16 new locations for the construction of a swimming pool

Písek - Písek has selected 16 locations from which the most suitable one for the construction of a new swimming pool will emerge. Originally, the aquapark was to be built on the site of the current pool, but a January referendum among the city's residents decided that the facility would be created elsewhere. Additionally, the town hall today urged people to suggest any other suitable locations. The city will definitively decide where the new pool will be located by the end of March, said Písek town hall spokesperson Roman Ondřich to ČTK.
     "We will choose the most suitable location from the proposals in all respects," he stated. According to him, a number of factors will play a role in the decision-making. It will involve both public opinion and the costs necessary for implementation. "Some of the identified locations are on land that does not belong to the city. It also depends on how much the potential acquisition would cost," Ondřich said.
     Písek's councilors acknowledged the result of the referendum regarding the construction of the new pool at their meeting today and canceled all previous resolutions on this matter.
     The issue of constructing a new aquacenter in Písek has been discussed for several years. When the city decided two years ago to build a new pool in place of the existing pool, which has been over 30 years old, for about 190 million crowns, people began to protest. They were unhappy that it would be located near the historic center.
     In the referendum that Písek had to announce, 88 percent voted in favor of relocating the proposed project. The participation in the referendum was 44.5 percent. A total of 9,471 voters supported the relocation of the planned aquapark, while 1,042 supported the town hall's project. "Preparations for the construction of the new aquapark, which was to be built on the site of the current pool, cost about four million crowns. Thus, the city has lost this money," Ondřich said. Moreover, the relocation of the pool is likely to increase the project's cost.
     The existing old covered baths remain operational in Písek. "Last December, structural engineers assessed the state of the pool and recognized that with certain modifications, it could still function for some time," Ondřich stated.