<Písek> presented five options for a new swimming pool

visualization option 3 - source: mesto-pisek.cz

Písek - The leadership of Písek City Hall today presented five options for the reconstruction of the current swimming pool or the construction of a new one. The cheapest alternative estimates costs at 86 million crowns, while the most expensive would cost 228 million crowns, said Mayor Ondřej Veselý (ČSSD) to journalists. The city councilors will decide which variant Písek will implement at their session on November 3.
According to Veselý, however, a one-time investment in the project is not the only factor. Therefore, the city calculated operating costs over a 30-year horizon for each variant as well. This is approximately the lifespan of swimming stadiums in the Czech Republic, he said.
In total, when considering the finances needed to build or reconstruct the pool and to cover thirty years of losses, option number three comes out as the cheapest. The construction costs amount to 150 million CZK, and the city would subsidize losses with an additional 86 million CZK over the course of thirty years.
Currently, the swimming stadium in Písek, where the new complex is to be built, is frequented by an average of 300 people daily. However, the city hall subsidizes the operation of the existing pool by more than eight million crowns each year. "This is a construction that is about 30 years old, and during that time, there has been virtually no significant investment in repairs," said Veselý.
Each of the five offered variants for reconstruction or construction includes a six-lane 25-meter pool for competitive swimming. Some alternatives would also offer an entertainment section with a waterslide and counter-current or a wellness zone with a sauna and hot tubs.
According to Veselý, the city does not plan to keep the current outdoor pool. It is reportedly too expensive to operate. However, some of the proposed variants could have a sliding wall that would open in the summer. "People could go from the indoor pool outside and sunbathe," Veselý said. However, such an option would require higher construction costs.
Písek wanted to obtain funds for the new pool from a subsidy from the European Union's regional operational program. However, the application was unsuccessful. "But we have saved enough money to finance even the most expensive variant from our own savings," Veselý said.
According to him, the city hall could also secure a very favorable interest rate for a possible loan due to good financial management. The mayor did not rule out the possibility that the city would cover part of the costs from its reserves and take out a loan for the rest.
The reconstruction or construction of the new swimming stadium is expected to begin in spring 2012. The city will be without a pool for the duration of the two-year project.
The details of all five variants can be viewed by the public on the city’s website. The city hall also conducted a survey in which people can express which alternative they would prefer. "Councilors can take people’s opinions into account. But of course the survey is not binding in any way," Veselý said.