The renovation of the outdated campsite with a hunting lodge near Brtnice will be proposed by architects

Jihlava - Jihlava is searching for architects to design modifications to the outdated camp base with the former lodge near Brtnice. For the past years, children's camps were organized there by the Jihlava House of Children and Youth, but the base is now closed due to inadequate conditions. The city is prepared to allocate 300,000 crowns for prizes and awards in the architectural competition. The investment in the Hájenka Černé lesy base is estimated at around 30 million crowns. This comes from the city hall's website and information provided today to ČTK by the director of the House of Children, Vilibald Prokop.

"The building is older, and there are hygiene conditions that no longer meet current standards and what we would envision for children's stays," Prokop said. He added that the kitchen and overall facilities for the campers need improvement. "We have concluded that a complete reconstruction is the best option," he stated. The building should then be used year-round.

According to Prokop, it was not possible to find the exact age of the building. "We assume it is from the 19th century," he mentioned. The house had facilities for the camps, but according to Prokop, better accommodation conditions were in the cabins, of which there are 15. Children also camped in tents, and including the leaders, up to a hundred people could be there at once. In previous years, the director stated that the camps were fully booked all summer and nearly every weekend and some weekdays during the school year.

With the competition, the city aims to obtain a conceptual proposal for the revitalization of the camp base focusing on nature stays and ecological education. Architects can apply for participation until August 4. Selected participants should then submit their competition proposals by October 26. Details are available on the website of the Czech Chamber of Architects.

The camp base near Brtnice used to be in dense forests. Due to the logging caused by the bark beetle calamity, there are clearings around. "But I believe that it will be sorted out again in a relatively short time," Prokop said. This year, the Jihlava House of Children and Youth is organizing children's camps only at its second base in Smrčná nad Sázavou, where the Stvořidla nature reserve is located.

The coronavirus epidemic has not disrupted the camps so far. "We test the children before the camp and during the camp as the government measures dictate," Prokop said. He added that the total number of applications for summer residential and day camps at the Jihlava House of Children and Youth is approaching a thousand.