The September council of Prague 1 will discuss the fate of Werich's villa

Prague - The representatives of Prague 1 will discuss the future of Werich's villa on the Czech Kamp in their September meeting. The mayor of Prague 1, Oldřich Lomecký (TOP 09), will present the councilors with a proposal for a cooperation agreement with the Jan and Meda Mládek Foundation. The rental of the villa to the foundation is not favored by some organizations, such as Post Bellum.
According to the draft agreement, which ČTK has available, a cultural and social center and a museum for Jan Werich and Jiří Voskovec, or an archive and library for Jan and Meda Mládek, should be established in the villa. The foundation is to gain usage of the building for 20 years with the possibility of extending the agreement for another 20 years. The director of the foundation, Jiří Lammel, hopes that the project can finally be completed. "We have done everything possible for this," he noted.
Lomecký told ČTK that he would present the proposal for the agreement to the councilors at the September meeting. If they support it, the municipality must post the intention on the official bulletin board. Only after that could the agreement be signed.
However, it is not entirely clear whether the councilors will support the deal with the foundation. According to Lomecký, the majority of the TOP 09 club could vote in favor of the agreement. However, he added that other councilors may oppose the agreement. For example, Kateřina Klasnová (VV) has taken a reserved stance towards the agreement. "Perhaps there should be a new selection process so that something more lively could be operated there," she told ČTK.
The idea of the foundation renting the villa is reportedly not favored by some people from Malá Strana and some organizations. For instance, the operational director of Post Bellum, Jan Polouček, and the director of HAF studio, Hana Francová, have reportedly reached out to councilors by letter to reject the agreement and support the announcement of a public selection process.
"There are a number of interesting projects that could socially revitalize the villa while creating something new and socially beneficial. For example, Post Bellum is prepared to offer the concept of the Memory of the Nation Institute," states the letter. Post Bellum is a non-profit organization that documents the memories of witnesses to important historical events of the 20th century. HAF studio would like to establish a children's theater in the villa.
The future of Werich's villa has been discussed for more than ten years. In April 2008, Prague 1 decided that the villa would be granted to the Jan and Meda Mládek Foundation for 40 years for a one-time rent of 23.8 million crowns and then for a symbolic crown a day. The foundation was to renovate the villa at its own expense.
The new leadership of the municipality decided after the elections in 2010 not to support the agreement and to renovate the villa at its own expense. According to Lomecký, the renovation of the villa will begin, regardless of the outcome of the current negotiations, likely at the beginning of the year at the same time when the modifications of the entire Kampa park commence.