The repair of the winter stadium roof in Olomouc will cost 32 million CZK

Olomouc – The reconstruction of the dilapidated roof of the ice rink in Olomouc will cost more than thirty million crowns, a construction company has started this work in recent days. The repairs are expected to take approximately three months. In the future, the builders are also supposed to renovate the remaining parts of the ice rink. This was stated to reporters today by the mayor's assistant Martin Major (ODS).

"The general reconstruction of the roof for 32 million will meet the strict requirements of the Association of Professional Ice Hockey Clubs for the extraliga. If everything is completed within the agreed three months, the reconstruction will not interfere with the preparation of the hockey players for the next season,” Major said.

The city originally estimated that the repair of the roof of the ice rink would cost around 60 million. "We managed to reduce the price to 32 million crowns in a public competition. It is significant that the selected technical solution will allow for the continuation of the ice rink's renovation in the future,” the deputy added.

According to Mayor Miroslav Žbánek (ANO), the reconstruction will not change the appearance or size of the ice rink building. "The option does not involve raising the existing structure, but strengthens its outer cover and increases its load-bearing capacity. This opens the way for a potential large-scale renovation of the entire area into a multifunctional hall according to the original design by architect Robert Štefka,” Žbánek stated.

A project is currently being prepared, and the construction process has begun. "We are talking about a construction project worth more than a billion crowns, and with adjacent investments, it will be several hundred million crowns more, which is why we decided to proceed with these partial repairs of the ice rink. Another step towards improving conditions not only for the hockey players is the planned second ice surface, which will be created by building a small hall under a concession arrangement we are preparing,” the mayor said.

Žbánek pointed out that the city's tax revenues are declining due to the impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the economy. "In this context, we also objectively perceive projects presented by private investors, with whom we are prepared to discuss all offered options,” he added. Last autumn, Olomouc entrepreneur Richard Morávek introduced his proposal for a multifunctional hall on land he owns near the center, in the area of the former military repairs near Velkomoravská Street. He wants to discuss the project with city representatives.

The ice rink in Olomouc was opened in 1948 and is already quite outdated. Among hockey fans, it has become known as "plecharéna." The city has been planning a thorough renovation of the ice rink for several years. In the past, a study was created for the renovation of the area, which estimated an investment of 1.5 billion crowns. However, this plan was postponed due to its financial demands. After the last municipal elections, the city prepared a proposal to convert the ice rink into a multifunctional hall and is now trying to secure grants for the project.