The construction of a hall in the Imperial Baths is dividing the regional council

Karlovy Vary – The construction of the concert hall in the Imperial Baths in Karlovy Vary continues to divide the regional council. While the leadership of the region is considering changing the project to an interior hall with a solid roof, the opposition from ANO warns of the possibility that the region could lose state subsidies. The city of Karlovy Vary, which is supposed to be the investor in the construction, is currently holding back, as reported by ČTK today.

"The project documentation considered the atrium as an exterior space, meaning with very limited usage options depending on the weather. We have also taken into account that architect Hájek presented a versatile concert hall construction, and thus we have considered the possibility that the atrium could become an interior space, thereby increasing the utility value of this national cultural monument," described the motivation of the region for a possible change in the project by Governor Petr Kulhánek (for STAN).

At today's council meeting, he repeatedly emphasized that all actions are taken by the region to avoid any conflicts with the public procurement law or with the conditions for the allocation of a four-hundred-million-koruna subsidy from the Ministry of Culture. Opposition councilor for ANO Jana Mračková Vildumetzová, however, reiterated today that the region has halted the renovation work on the Imperial Baths. The region denies this, stating that it has only requested the contractor not to order materials for the roof yet, until it is clear if the project can be modified.

According to the mayor of Karlovy Vary, Andrea Pfeffer Ferklová (ANO), the city did propose changing the roof from glass to solid, which would allow for better use of the hall, but this change has not yet been firmly agreed upon with the region. "The construction in the Imperial Baths is in the project documentation stage, and we are currently seeking all necessary opinions," described Pfeffer Ferklová. "We have prepared both options, so we will see what the region agrees upon. We would potentially address the construction of the hall through ITI projects. For this reason, it is premature to discuss the construction of the hall when we do not even have funding secured," the mayor told ČTK today. According to the original agreement, the construction is supposed to start only after the completion of the renovation of the Imperial Baths itself, that is, after 2023, she pointed out.

The renovation of the national cultural monument will cost 829 million koruna. It began in December 2019 and is expected to last 3.5 years. The region has allocated 350 million koruna from its budget for the repair, an additional 100 million will gradually come from the budget of the city of Karlovy Vary. The remaining portion should be provided by the Ministry of Culture.