The Olomouc winter stadium has received a new roof for 33 million crowns

Olomouc – The Olomouc winter stadium has received a new roof, with the reconstruction valued at 33 million crowns completed. The renovation of the dilapidated roof began in May shortly after the end of the previous extraleague season. The repair covered an area of approximately 7000 m², the spokesperson for the city hall, Michal Folta, informed CTK today. The construction was completed on time despite rising construction material prices, so the contract did not become more expensive.

The new roof replaced the original structure, built from different materials, promising partially improved conditions inside the hall. "The new roof with a steel structure, trapezoidal sheets, cement-bonded particleboard, insulation layer, and foil is much stronger and has a long lifespan. Moreover, this structure allows for potential further conversion of the stadium into a modern multipurpose hall," said the mayor of Olomouc, Miroslav Žbánek (ANO).

Construction began in May and was scheduled to finish at the beginning of August according to the contractual timeline. The construction company had to deal with extreme heat, and thunderstorms and heavy rainfall posed problems as well. "One of them occurred just when a small part of the roof was not perfectly covered. This led to flooding in parts of the stadium's interior. However, the situation was quickly remedied, and the compensation for damages is a matter of negotiation between the construction company and its insurance company," added the city hall spokesperson.

The city paid around 33 million crowns for the new roof, originally estimating the repair to cost around 60 million. The price was successfully reduced through a public tender. From the saved amount, the city can contribute to, for example, new air conditioning, Folta added. According to representatives of the construction company, the prices of building materials began to rise significantly during the construction, with some materials doubling in price, so if the project had started later, the construction would have become more expensive. "But we managed to stick to the price we promised," said the owner of the construction company, Jan Večeře.

The winter stadium in Olomouc opened in 1948 and is already significantly outdated. Among hockey fans, it has earned the nickname "plecharéna." The city has been planning thorough repairs for several years. In the past, a study for the reconstruction of the complex was created, estimating the investment at 1.5 billion crowns. However, this plan was postponed due to its financial demands. After the recent municipal elections, the city prepared a plan to convert the winter stadium into a multipurpose hall and is now trying to secure grants for the project.