The pool in Písek will remain in its current location, people are protesting

Variant no.4 - Lejsek, Liška, Dušek

Písek - The Písek city council insists on the reconstruction of the swimming pool at its current location, despite opposition from more than 1,500 residents who have protested in a petition. This was stated by Mayor Ondřej Veselý (ČSSD) after a council meeting. The opponents of the construction want the pool to be moved from the heritage zone to the recreational area. According to the study, the reconstruction of the pool at the current site, including design work, will cost about 195 million crowns, while its relocation would cost approximately 265 million crowns.
    The city has been working on the preparation for the modernization of the swimming pool for several years. The reconstruction is in line with the city's strategic plan. The council already decided on its reconstruction at the current location last year. If construction starts this year, it will be completed in 2014. If it were necessary to rework the required documents for another location, residents would not see the aquacenter until 2018.
    Petition signatories believe that placing the existing pool below the walls in the historical center within the city's heritage zone was a mistake, and now is the opportunity to correct it. They point out that after the construction of the regional aquacenter at the current site, the traffic situation would worsen. They also believe that there will be a shortage of parking spaces at the location. Therefore, they recommend placing the pool in the city's recreational zone.
    The council took note of the petition, which was supported by dozens of local architects. However, they recommended that the council continue with the preparations for the construction at the current location, according to the revised variant number four with 54 underground parking spaces. A building permit for this variant has already been issued. It would be sufficient to complete the documentation for the contracting of the construction and to initiate the selection of the contractor. Construction could start in the middle of the year.
    In addition to the swimming area, the facility would also feature a relaxation area with attractions and a spa area with whirlpools. The selected variant should still be confirmed by the councilors at their meeting at the end of March, summarized the mayor. According to him, the city will finance the reconstruction of the pool from its budget, having unsuccessfully sought possible grant opportunities. Because it has savings from previous years, it will not need to take out a loan.