Pardubice is preparing a renovation of Republic Square, which will take place in a few years

Pardubice - The city of Pardubice is preparing to renovate part of Republic Square, and the project could be realized in a few years. It includes the closed and dilapidated underpass at Zelená brána, and the city hall must decide whether to restore it or fill it in. This was stated by Deputy Mayor Petr Kvaš (ODS) to ČTK.

The square is adjacent to a city heritage zone, with Zelená brána as the entry point. The city has developed a concept. "It involves a visual unification of the space, the removal of disruptive fragments such as the unused lawn, unsuitable furniture, and parking at the foot of the church," said Aleš Reiský from the main architect's office.

The square should have large-format paving, similar to that on Míru Avenue, and there is a consideration to plant a group of trees. This also includes traffic adjustments to the busy street that runs through the area. "There may be adjustments to the crossing, it would be wider and more capacious. It can be visually adjusted using similar materials as on Míru Avenue and increase the interval at traffic lights in favor of pedestrians," Reiský said.

According to the deputy mayor, the city could also allocate one lane of the road leading from Jahnova Avenue solely for buses and cyclists. "Thousands of cyclists pass here daily; they need to get to the center, to Míru Avenue. The last 100 meters we would place in a shared lane with buses," Kvaš said.

The underpass at Zelená brána has been closed since 2015, and the city has yet to decide what to do with it. City architects would like to abolish it. According to Reiský, while there could be smaller shops there, there is no natural lighting, making the space unsuitable in terms of workplace hygiene. The underpass could, for instance, have public restrooms, which are now typically unstaffed.

"It offers the possibility of repairing it and using it for the needs of the city or for commercial purposes. Or filling it in without replacement. A fourth option is to preserve it and wait to see if anyone thinks of something better than we do," Kvaš added.

According to Kvaš, no one is keen on repairing the underpass because it would mean closing the road. The structure is compromised by moisture, and it leaks inside. The underpass can only be repaired from above. "Otherwise, the statics are fine; it is a solid concrete structure. Only the insulation needs to be repaired," Kvaš said.

The city has even gone to court over the underpass, having to terminate the lease of entrepreneur Václav Reindl, who operated the Kra Kra restaurant there. He had a contract until October 2018 and sought compensation for lost profits. The entrepreneur demanded approximately 7.7 million crowns from the city, later reducing the amount by one million. The court recently ruled on compensation of 845,000 crowns.

"There was no dispute that compensation had to be provided. At first, we could not agree on the extent of the damage. From the city's perspective, it turned out well because the amount is lower than originally demanded," Kvaš said.