Plzeň announces an architectural competition for a swimming pool in Borská Pole

Plzeň – Plzeň announces an architectural competition for a covered swimming pool in Borská pole, with a deadline of February 16 next year. The proposals will be evaluated by a jury in early March 2022. After that, the results and recommendations will be given to the city councilors, and the proposals will be displayed. The Czech News Agency learned this from the explanatory report for the councilors, who approved the competition conditions this week, already confirmed by the Czech Chamber of Architects earlier. The estimated costs for the first of two construction phases are around 300 million crowns without VAT. The pool should be built next to the campus of the University of West Bohemia (ZČU).

Currently, there are three covered swimming areas in Plzeň, two of which are municipal. The largest is in Slovany, while significant investment is required for the other two – Radbuza on Kozinova Street, which belongs to a sports club, and the smaller Lochotín pool.

The new pool is planned on city land adjacent to the ZČU campus. "The intention is to implement a multifunctional and relaxation swimming hall with outdoor pools, sports facilities, and recreational areas. The facility is designed to replace the existing pool on Kozinova Street, operated by SK Radbuza. It will serve the club, lifeguards, and the public," the councilors stated in the resolution. The project is divided into two phases - the primary stage and a subsequent one with a relaxation complex. It will include a parking lot or parking garage.

The organization of the competition will cost 400,000 crowns, and the costs for prizes and rewards will be three million crowns. The competition will be followed by an order for the preparation of project documentation for the zoning decision and building permit for the first phase and studies of subsequent parts. The estimated cost for all levels of documentation is expected to be around 22 million crowns, and the city has already allocated funds for it. The organization of the competition for the design solution of the "Swimming Pool Borská pole" was approved by the councilors in June this year. The jury was established in July and has already met twice.

"This is not an aquapark, but a pool. There is an expected allocation of (funds) in 2023 to 2024. I don't have information yet that it would exceed the originally planned 300 million crowns. I assume that this is within the city's capabilities, of course with some support from the National Sports Agency (NSA). It will probably be built in two phases, but we will see what comes out of the competition," said Deputy Mayor Roman Zarzycký (ANO). In the second phase, a hostel with a restaurant, wellness, slides, and an outdoor pool could be created, although last year's study only included a 25-meter swimming pool. The first phase is expected to aim for construction approval at the turn of 2024 and 2025, with co-financing from national sources, Zarzycký stated.

"The city needs the pool. A modern 25-meter pool is lacking, and considering the number of schools and clubs, it will sustain competitive swimming. And who knows how long Lochotín will function, where investment is needed, and I can't even mention Kozinovka. The Slovany pool hosts many clubs, and the public has no space there," said the head of the sports department, Přemysl Švarc. According to him, the NSA has announced a grant program from which the city could receive up to 90 million crowns. However, the new leadership of the agency will close it on November 30, which the city will not meet because it does not have a building permit. An alternative was to buy a "turnkey" project from Austria or Germany, but Plzeň ultimately opted for an architectural competition. However, the NSA may open a different program next year, Švarc noted. SK Radbuza would manage the new pool, and the city would take over its pool on Kozinova Street.