Jablonec wants to build a kindergarten for 156 children, has announced an architectural competition

Jablonec nad Nisou - In Jablonec nad Nisou, they want to build a new kindergarten U Přehrady for 156 children. The city hall has announced an open architectural competition, estimating costs at 120 million crowns. A large portion of the costs is expected to be covered by European funds through the Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) program for the Liberec – Jablonec agglomeration. There is a preliminary 140 million crowns allocated for similar projects in Jablonec, said Deputy Mayor Jakub Chuchlík (Pirates) to ČTK today.

According to Chuchlík, the subject of the architectural competition is not only the design of the new kindergarten building but also the garden and the immediate surroundings. The deadline for submitting competition entries ends on June 6. The city hall aims to have the project documentation completed by the end of next year, with construction expected to take place from 2025 to 2026. "The new Kindergarten U Přehrady will operate as a branch of the MŠ Palackého," added the deputy mayor.

The new kindergarten will be located on the site of the Svobodná school, which is relocating, as well as on the site of the special kindergarten, which is a branch of MŠ Palackého. "After exploring several options for utilizing the existing buildings, we concluded that it would be best to demolish the complex and rebuild. Those buildings were created in the past during 'action Z' and are not in good condition in terms of layout, construction, or building technology," said Chuchlík.

The announcement of the architectural competition was preceded by a study conducted last year by Uniarch CZ. "We did a review that showed that the building can be one-third smaller, which will lead to savings in both investment and operating costs. Therefore, we decided on a new solution that will arise from the open architectural competition; we estimate the costs for it at eight million crowns," Chuchlík said. According to him, the project includes six classes with 26 children each. One of the classes will be specially designed for children with special needs, and the complex will also include a gym, a ceramics workshop, and a dining facility.

The city will handle the demolition of the current buildings separately and in advance to avoid delaying the construction of the new kindergarten. Part of the area includes a ČEZ transformer station, which will need to be relocated. According to Deputy Mayor for Humanitarian Affairs Jana Hamplová (Mayors for the Liberec Region), the city hall is currently considering where to relocate the children from the special kindergarten during the construction period. "One option is the spaces next to the center for educational care and the pedagogical-psychological counseling office on Smetanova Street," Hamplová added.