Plzeňský district will build a new kindergarten in the shape of a circle at Valcha

Plzeň – The central Plzeň district will build an architecturally interesting kindergarten in the suburban area of Valcha for 35 million CZK in the years 2023 and 2024. It will be circular in shape, offer space for 48 children, and relieve the catchment kindergartens in Bory, said Deputy Mayor of the Plzeň 3 district Petr Baloun to ČTK. The project, which is being developed in agreement with a development company building the New Valcha neighborhood, has been included among the priorities of EU and Czech grant programs, with the EU expected to cover up to 95 percent of the costs.

Prague's V Invest, which has been building up to 400 apartments in the district for ten years, has committed, according to Baloun, to prepare and donate the kindergarten project to the district, designed up to the building permit phase. In the new neighborhood, areas for the kindergarten and shops have been designated, as well as playgrounds, relaxation zones, and sports facilities. The first 40 apartments were created there in April 2013, and according to Baloun, about half of the thirty-hectare forest park is built up.

The first designer, who came up with a cuboidal kindergarten, was rejected by the district; the second provided a different solution. "He proposed it in an organic circular shape that will provide a comfortable background. It will shield the kindergarten from the noise of the surroundings," said the deputy mayor. The capacity can be temporarily increased by 24 places in a multifunctional hall.

Similarly unconventional architectural solutions, appreciated by residents and parents, were chosen by the Plzeň 3 district for the newly built kindergarten in the neighboring Bory area, where there is a long-term shortage of spaces. The extension of the 55th kindergarten on Mandlová Street created two new classes for 48 children. The total costs exceeded 35 million CZK, making it the largest investment of the district in this electoral period. It includes a multifunctional space that can be used as a gym and for various events, and in emergencies, it can serve as a traditional classroom.

The project for the new kindergarten is already being processed. "If everything goes well, we will start in 2023," stated Baloun. According to him, a kindergarten in Valcha has been missing for a long time. Builders plan to preserve the maximum of the existing greenery. The building will have a green roof, which minimizes rainwater runoff and contributes to a more favorable climate in the vicinity. "We will apply for a grant. It is almost certain, and it is included in the ITI strategy (of the Plzeň metropolitan area)," said the deputy mayor.

Even after the construction of the new kindergarten, the district will not have sufficient capacity. "We are preparing a third new kindergarten in Bory between the university dormitories (on Máchova and Baarova Streets)," said Baloun.

Plzeň operates 40 independent kindergartens, and another six fall under primary schools. A total of about 5,000 children attend them, with a capacity of 5,186 places. According to the municipality, this is fully sufficient to cover the increased number of three-year-olds even in stronger population cohorts. All ten city districts receive demographic development forecasts from the conceptual and development department to help kindergartens prepare. Additional kindergartens are operated by the region, private sector, and churches. The city also oversees 26 primary schools with approximately 15,000 students.