The repair of the kiosks on the bridge in Hradec Králové will be more expensive due to wood rot

Hradec Králové - The repair of two historical kiosks on the edges of the protected Prague Bridge over the Elbe River in Hradec Králové may be up to one million crowns more expensive than initially expected. The reason is that during the repair of one of the kiosks, it was discovered that its rafters and roof structure are infested with wood rot and will need to be replaced. The original cost of the kiosks' repair was estimated at 2.37 million crowns with VAT. The city representatives decided today to increase the repair budget.

The infestation of the rafters with dangerous wood rot has so far been identified by craftsmen at the kiosk on the left bank of the Elbe. The allocated extra one million crowns should be sufficient to cover any potential repair of the rafters of the second kiosk if wood rot is also found there. "The exact amount of additional costs for the roof repair, which was not part of the originally planned reconstruction, will be determined only by the execution documentation," said city spokesperson Petr Vinklář. The repair of the wooden structures is expected to lengthen the repair process by several weeks, as completion was initially planned by the end of September.

According to the project manager of the repair, Jan Mádlík, a restoration survey was conducted on the plastered, stone, and wrought components. Damage from wood rot in combination with woodworm was only discovered after uncovering the wooden structure and rafters, which were located beneath decorative copper reliefs. "The presence of the dangerous fungus was also confirmed by a mycologist from the National Heritage Institute," stated Deputy Mayor for Investments Jindřich Vedlich (TOP 09).

The city administration has been trying to carry out the repairs of the kiosks since 2015, which has been complicated by difficulties in selecting a construction company. The city managed to select a company for the repair only this year in the fourth competition. Repair work has been carried out since June by the Hradec company Matex HK, which was the only one to apply for the tender. Of the previous three tenders, two were not completed, and the company chosen in the third competition went bankrupt, with the city seeking 575,000 crowns from it in insolvency proceedings.

The Prague Bridge, built in 1910, is one of the city’s typical structures. It features four circular kiosks on the approaches, designed by the renowned architect Jan Kotěra, just like the bridge itself. The kiosks, which serve for the sale of refreshments and ice cream, are also protected as historical monuments. The city repaired the bridge itself between 1992 and 1993.

Matex HK is repairing two kiosks located on the right side of the bridge in the direction from the old town towards Svobody Square. The builders are working based on the original documentation for the modification of both approaches signed by architect Jan Kotěra in May 1910. The repairs are being overseen by the employees of the National Heritage Institute, who will also approve the planned procedures for the repair of the rafters. The city aims to obtain a subsidy for the repairs from the Ministry of Culture.

Of the remaining two kiosks, the larger one near Svobody Square has already been repaired. The repair was organized last year by the city's contributory organization, Property Management, which selected the Štěpánek company from Opočno for the job. The price of the work was 1.55 million crowns excluding VAT. The last, fourth kiosk should also be repaired by the Property Management. The city carries out the repairs through the Property Management without subsidies.