In Jablonec nad Nisou, they are considering the restoration of the city spa that has not been used for the summer

Jablonec nad Nisou - In Jablonec nad Nisou, they are considering the restoration of the city spa, which has not been used for years, with the option of returning the Art Nouveau building to its original purpose. The city hall will have a feasibility study prepared, which should show whether it is realistic to restore spa operations there. The building has been closed for years and is deteriorating; since 1996, the city hall has been exploring various ways to utilize it, but no one has assessed the option of restoring the spa operations, said Deputy Mayor Jakub Chuchlík (Pirates) to ČTK today.

"Although social needs and demands have changed since its construction, there are examples of successful operation of historical spas as centers for relaxation and captivating experiences," Chuchlík added. An example could be Nové Město pod Smrkem, where they repaired the spa by the same architect, and it serves for school swimming, recreation, and relaxation for locals. Jablonec has a pool for sports and school swimming, but according to the mayor's deputy, the spa could serve for rest and relaxation.

The spa in the city center was built between 1908 and 1909 according to a project by architect Rudolf Hemmrich, who is also the author of the spa building in Nové Město pod Smrkem, designed the church in nearby Loučná, as well as the lookout towers at Černá Studnice, Bramberk, and in Proseč. The spa was one of the first larger buildings financed by Jablonec. The appearance of the building was significantly affected by insensitive modifications in the 1960s, when it lost its outdoor stucco decoration. However, the original documentation has been preserved, as well as many original elements like windows, doors, and pavements.

"There were several attempts to revive the spa; the furthest along were plans to convert it into a city library. However, the plan remained 14 years ago in the phase of developing documentation for zoning decisions," Chuchlík said. In discussions with the Liberec Region, they also considered using it as a visitor center for the Crystal Valley in recent years, but the city has repeatedly offered the building for sale for private purposes, yet no interested parties have come forward.

In 2013, a proposal emerged to reconstruct the spa into a rehabilitation center for seniors; at that time, the city leadership also negotiated with the architecture department of the Liberec University about placing school studios in the Jablonec city spa. However, in the end, the university opted for constructing a new building, and the idea was abandoned. Two years later, a civic initiative called ArtproProstor was formed, which highlighted the sleeping beauty of the closed building through cultural events and offered a concept for an alternative cultural and social center. Due to poor statics, no events have been held in the spa for the fourth year now.