Residents of Vsetín are preparing a protest action due to the form of the square

Vsetín - The residents of Vsetín are not satisfied with the layout of Freedom Square and are planning a protest event. People dislike the lack of greenery and places to relax in the city center, and they believe the square is covered by an unsuitable surface of crushed stone. Therefore, they have organized a protest event called Liberate the Square for Thursday afternoon, as informed by one of the organizers, Klára Bažantová, to ČTK.
    The Vsetín city council had previously announced that it wants to change the appearance of Freedom Square. The space was reconstructed last year, but people protested mainly against the new natural crushed stone surface of the square. According to the city leadership, crushed stone was used because it was significantly cheaper compared to other building materials or a grassy surface. The design was approved as early as 2008, and the current city leadership had no opportunity to intervene in the project. "We all agree that the square is not what we expected," stated Mayor Iveta Táborská earlier. The city is now negotiating with architects about changing the surface and other repairs to the square.
    "No one is satisfied with the appearance of the square. The city promised changes, but nothing has happened so far. We would like to express that the issue of the square concerns many people in the city, and we are calling on the city and architects to take concrete steps to rectify the situation and to hold public discussions on this issue," Bažantová noted.
    The protest event will take place from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM, featuring local musicians, a pétanque tournament, and a picnic on artificial grass. "We would like to point out the shortcomings of the square in a peaceful and humorous way. For example, the crushed stone surface, which is dusty when dry and creates muddy puddles after rain, is suitable for resting and picnicking only if we lay artificial grass on it," Bažantová remarked.
    "We would also like to invite people to bring their own flowers to the square, either artificial or live in pots, so that the gray square blooms at least once a year. We are also planning to decorate the square using textile flowers," added the organizer, noting that there will also be an informational booth dedicated to the entire square issue. More information about the event can be found on the website www.namestivsetin.cz.