In Říčany, the construction of a recreational center for 150 million CZK has begun

Říčany (near Prague) - Construction of a leisure center worth 150 million crowns has begun today in Říčany near Prague. It will include a swimming pool, cinema, and theater. The investor is Openplace, whose managing director is the majority owner of Mountfield, Ivan Drbohlav. According to him, it is a non-returnable investment. The center, which is expected to open in the spring of next year, will only be able to cover its operating costs. As a result, entry fees will be low, Drbohlav told reporters.
    "I started here 20 years ago, we built one of the largest companies in Europe in terms of gardening technology and pools. I take it as a thank you for what we have managed to achieve," Drbohlav stated.
    Openplace is a family company, with Drbohlav leading it alongside his wife, daughter, and son-in-law. According to him, Říčany did not have the funds for a similar project. However, if the center had been developed as a business project, it would not have been possible to keep the entry fees low, he says. "Our only goal is to cover costs," Drbohlav insists, mentioning that he faced skepticism from people. They suspected him of wanting to acquire land cheaply or open another store. The annual operational costs of the center are expected to be around 15 million crowns, according to the company's managing director, Lukáš Basík.
    The complex will be built in the Na Fialce area, partly on land that was previously blocked by church restitutions. Therefore, the city transferred the parcel to the church in the past, which sold it to the investor and used the proceeds to repair the rectory in the square. "It was relatively advantageous to secure land for the construction of this noble project. And the city did not ultimately lose out on this," said Mayor Vladimír Kořen (Calm City).
    Representatives of the investor, the city, and the Archbishop of Prague, Cardinal Dominik Duka, today ceremonially laid the foundation stone for the construction at Masaryk Square in front of nearly three hundred people. Duka blessed it beforehand. He appreciated that this "good and beautiful intention" focuses on human development. "There is not just a swimming pool, but there are also spaces for interest groups," he emphasized. "There is an opportunity here for children to utilize time that they need to become a fully-fledged personality," he added.
    The building will have a 25-meter swimming pool, a multi-functional gym, a mirrored hall for dance and movement activities, a sauna, and an interest center for children. The costs for acquiring the land and the construction were originally estimated at 123.5 million crowns. However, Drbohlav noted that this does not include investment in equipment and technologies. The total expenses will thus be around 150 million crowns. The project preparation took two years and was complicated, among other things, by insufficient capacity of the sewage system. According to Kořen, the problem should be resolved before the center opens.
    Drbohlav believes that similar philanthropic projects will increase in the Czech Republic. "Entrepreneurs who started their businesses after 1990 are aging, they are 20 years older, and are slowly heading into entrepreneurial retirement. I believe there are many people among them who want something to remain after them," he remarked.