Activists want to save a chimney from demolition in Ostrava

"It would be a shame to demolish a chimney that is probably unique in all of Europe," Raška said. According to him, the chimney should remain as a solitary structure and its new use should be sought. He suggests, for example, building a climbing wall or using it for a cable car, which is being considered. "I can imagine sports and recreational use. There could be a restaurant and a café by the wall. Possibly even an extension with changing rooms and social amenities," he said.

The chimney is part of an agglomeration called Hrudkovna. The owner of the contaminated and devastated area covering more than 50 hectares, which includes 43 other factory buildings, is the Vítkovice company. Company spokesperson Eva Kijonková told ČTK that the company has nothing to do with the planned remediation project. "This is a project for the removal of old burdens. The state has committed to help with their removal. Therefore, the project was announced by the Ministry of Finance. The contract is already awarded," Kijonková stated. She added that the petition initiators must eventually contact the Ministry of Finance.

Filip Běhal from the press department of the ministry stated in a statement available to ČTK that the remediation project is based on requirements put forth by the Czech Environmental Inspection. The Ministry of Finance will only cover the costs of the work. "The remediation project includes the demolition of several structures, including the chimney, the removal of contaminated soil, the remediation of groundwater, and the reclamation of the entire area," he said. He added that the ministry currently does not have any requests for a potential reduction in the work.

The chimney, nicknamed Strakáč by the residents of Ostrava, is 101 meters tall. At its base, it has a diameter of 15 meters and its walls there reach a thickness of up to 1.5 meters. At the top, it has a diameter of nine meters. "In the Czech Republic, it is one of the most significant brick chimneys, both in terms of height and mainly in terms of its mass," Raška said.

The southern agglomeration connects to the northern part of Lower Vítkovice. In that area, which is a National Cultural Monument, many buildings have been successfully saved in recent years. A multifunctional hall called Gong has been created in the gas holder, and one of the blast furnaces boasts a glass superstructure, which houses a café and a viewing platform, for example.