Prague 10 will repair the unused Art Nouveau school on Strašnická

Prague – Prague 10 will repair the Art Nouveau elementary school near the Strašnická metro station for 205 million crowns. This was stated today by the spokesperson of the city district, Jan Hamrník, in a press release. The municipality will receive an 80 million crown grant from the magistrate, which was approved by city representatives at Thursday's meeting. According to the spokesperson, the city district already has construction permits and is preparing to announce a public contract. The school is expected to reopen for children in September 2023.

The now vacant school on V Olšinách street, dating from the early 20th century, has been a cultural monument since 2014. The leadership of Prague 10 previously considered relocating the city district office there, but ultimately decided to renovate the existing town hall on Vršovická street. After the renovation, the building on Strašnická is expected to serve its original purpose.

According to city councilor Olga Koumarová (ODS), the reconstruction project maximally respects the original appearance. "We will only minimally intervene in the preserved structures. The project also includes the repair of outdoor surfaces, small structures, and fencing within the area to ensure that its use is safe, clear, and functional. The study also includes adjustments to the open area east of the school and the creation of a multipurpose playground," she explained.

According to information from the town hall, the repaired school will have 12 standard classrooms, a daycare, four specialized classrooms, two gymnasiums, five cabinets, five offices, a staff room, and a dining hall with its own kitchen. According to councilor David Kašpar (STAN), the facility will accommodate 360 students. The school's reconstruction has been in preparation for several years.

Prague's representatives approved grants totaling 303 million for city districts, intended for the construction or reconstruction of elementary schools, at Thursday's meeting. In addition to the school on Strašnická, funds will go toward another 11 projects, such as the construction of a new building for the Primary and Kindergarten School in U Elektry street in Prague 9, and the completion of Dr. Edvard Beneš School in Čakovice, where a new pavilion will be created. The elementary school in Havlíčkovo náměstí in Prague 3 and the kindergarten in Letňany are also awaiting repairs. Funds will also be allocated for the extension of the elementary school in Chodov and the reconstruction of the school in Vybíralová street in Prague 14.

The capital city is grappling with a shortage of places in schools and kindergartens, which particularly affects the peripheral city districts, as well as more central ones like Prague 5 and now Prague 10. The town hall of the tenth district previously stated that, in light of demographic forecasts, it will be necessary to develop additional expansion projects for schools in Zahradní Město, Vršovice, and Malešice. This year, the construction of a new kindergarten in Bajkalská street should also begin.

Based on demographic analysis, the town hall expects a 10 percent increase in the number of children aged between six and ten years and a 42 percent increase among those aged 11 to 14 by 2028. Prague 10 is the second largest city district in Prague by population, after Prague 4, with around 110,000 residents. It includes all of Vršovice, most of Strašnice and Malešice, and parts of Záběhlice, Michle, Vinohrady, Hrdlořezy, Hloubětín, and Žižkov.