In Kopřivnice, the repair of the roof of Šustal's villa, which houses the Laš Museum, has begun.

Kopřivnice – In Kopřivnice in the Nový Jičín region, the reconstruction of the roof of the Šustal Villa in the Edvard Beneš Park, which houses the Lašské Museum, has begun. In the coming days, windows and doors will also be repaired in the building. The total cost for the city will be 6.5 million crowns. This was announced to ČTK by the spokesperson of the Kopřivnice town hall, Lucie Macháčková.

"Although the tender for the roof reconstruction was complicated by the rise in copper prices, a qualified company with extensive experience was eventually selected. The replacement of the roofing and plumbing elements will cost the city budget over six million crowns and is expected to be completed by mid-August," said Macháčková.

The quick repair of the windows and doors will take place simultaneously with the roof work. "The doors will be completely repaired and painted, while only the outer frames of the windows exposed to weather conditions will be addressed. Since the scaffolding already in place can be used for removing the windows, the city will save time and money. The refurbishment of the windows and doors will cost around 500,000 crowns, with completion scheduled for early July," the spokesperson stated.

The Šustal Villa dates back to the late 19th century and is among the most beautiful historical buildings in the city. "It originally served Josef Šustal – the son of the founder of the Kopřivnice carriage factory; after World War II, it was allocated for the needs of the emerging Lašské Museum," Macháčková explained.

In the years 2004 to 2005, the villa underwent a comprehensive reconstruction, and since then only a few minor repairs have been done. "The roof covering was in need of replacement, which was confirmed by a prepared expert opinion. In connection with the establishment of a new exhibition dedicated to Dana and Emil Zátopek, this need has intensified," the spokesperson added.

Due to the construction of the exhibition, the museum has been closed since November. The city is preparing the exhibition for this year's 100th anniversary of the birth of its native Zátopek and his wife, both born on September 19, 1922.