Jihlava will prepare the reconstruction of the Horácké Winter Stadium

Jihlava - The Jihlava city hall will continue to prepare the reconstruction of the Horácký winter stadium. The need for significant investments in the dilapidated sports facility, home to the legendary hockey club Dukla Jihlava, has been discussed in the city for years. The proposal to build a new stadium on the site of the existing one was not approved by the city council in April this year. At today's meeting, they agreed to return to the original project of reconstructing the stadium, with updates.

This proposal was approved by 28 councillors after an hour-long debate, receiving support from the opposition movement ANO as well. Four votes were against, and one councillor abstained from the vote. "The motivation of everyone is clear. Let’s finally do something to move it forward," said Mayor Rudolf Chloupek (ČSSD) after the voting.

In order for the eight-year-prepared project for the modernization of the winter stadium, costing hundreds of millions of crowns, to move forward, a working group, including opposition representatives, has been meeting at the city hall since the last council session. Today's discussion was initiated by architect Martin Laštovička, a councillor from the coalition KDU-ČSL. He proposed that an architectural competition be announced for the renovation of the stadium first, as it is a significant civic facility. However, actual construction work could only start in 2021, which was criticized by other councillors.

Pavel Šlechtický from the opposition communists also labeled the proposal to update the already prepared documentation for the stadium's reconstruction as rational. "Unlike Mr. Laštovička's proposal, it allows for construction to begin during this electoral term," he stated. According to him, the approved procedure would also save the city 30 million, which would be the cost of the architectural competition and a new project.

A building permit has already been issued for the older project documentation prepared by the Pelhřimov-based firm AS Projekt Cz, which remains valid. The company is expected to collaborate with architect Antonín Buchta on the update of the documentation. This should also clarify the possible construction costs.

The Horácký winter stadium was opened in 1956 and received its roof in the 1960s. The manager of the first-league Dukla, Bedřich Ščerban, told ČTK in April that the stadium is already in a catastrophic state. According to him, there are problems with the stadium roof, as well as with its technologies, equipment, and locker rooms. An online petition for the reconstruction of the Horácký stadium was supported by 1,100 fans of the hockey club before the April council meeting.