The winter stadium on Štvanice is closed due to poor condition

Winter Stadium Štvanice, original state

Prague - The building authority of Prague 7 yesterday ordered the evacuation and closure of the winter stadium on Štvanice. The reason is the poor condition of the building; according to spokesperson for Prague 7, Martin Vokuš, part of the roof has collapsed at the stadium. According to the iDnes.cz website, the operator of the stadium disagrees with the authority's decision.
    The owner of the stadium is the capital city, which leases it to a private company. According to a statement sent to ČTK by the press department of the Prague City Hall, the company was supposed to ensure the maintenance of the facility. "First and foremost, it is about the safety of visitors, including children. I will initiate talks with the legislative department about possible legal actions to determine who is responsible for the current hazardous state," said councilor Aleksandra Udženija (ODS), who is responsible for the city's assets.
    According to Vokuš, the capital city itself pointed out the roof's collapse. Based on this, yesterday officials from the building authority examined the state of the building. According to Vokuš, the owner must now have assessments conducted that will evaluate the condition of the building and propose how the identified defects can be remedied.
    The operator of the stadium believes, according to the iDnes.cz website, that there was no reason for closure. "We have been operating it for thirteen years and nothing has ever happened to anyone; moreover, no one from the authorities has ever been here during that time, and now all of a sudden they come and say it is life-threatening," quotes the server a representative of the Apex Club, which operates the stadium, Tomáš Doležal.
    Prague is trying to terminate the lease agreement with the company. The termination was submitted in mid-2008, but the tenant did not acknowledge it. The matter has therefore been considered by the court. According to a ruling by the District Court for Prague 7 from September 2010, the company is to vacate the premises and hand over the facility to the capital city. However, the company appealed to the city court.
    The city structural engineer will examine additional documents about the building this week, and firefighters will check how ammonia is handled at the stadium on Wednesday. Next week, Udženija plans to meet with representatives of the company Meridianspa Štvanice, which is to build a sports and recreation facility on the island and restore all the greenery.
    The winter stadium, which serves the public and trains hockey talents, was built in 1935 as the first artificial ice rink in the capital city. In 2000, it became a cultural monument. The capital city has been looking for several years for the best way to utilize the entire Štvanice. Last year, it approved that an amendment to the zoning plan would be developed to propose its use. In the past, there were considerations, for example, that a concert hall would be built on the island. However, the problem is that the area is at risk of floods. It was affected in 2002.