Praha 3 halts preparations for the reconstruction of Jiřího z Poděbrad Square

Prague - Prague 3 will halt the preparation of a comprehensive reconstruction of Jiří z Poděbrady Square according to a project from the turn of the millennium. Against its implementation, which has long been delayed, today stood opposition councilors of the city district and some councilors from the coalition. According to the resolution, the city hall leadership must present a plan for partial adjustments to the square by the next council meeting. According to the councilors who opposed the comprehensive reconstruction today, the project is outdated and too costly, which would mean the concreting of green areas.

Among the defenders of the project was the mayor of the city district Vladislava Hujová (TOP 09) with the justification that she respected the decisions of previous city hall administrations. According to Hujová, such a demanding project cannot be managed in four years, so there is a risk that the new leadership will start from scratch every four years if it dismisses the predecessors' decisions.

According to opposition councilor Matěj Stropnický (Green Party/Zižkov (not only) for ourselves), who proposed the cancellation of the reconstruction, neglected public spaces in the lower part of Žižkov deserve investment in Prague 3. Jiří z Poděbrady Square, according to Stropnický, needs regular maintenance and the replacement of old furniture, which has not been replaced due to waiting for the comprehensive reconstruction of the square.

"Instead, the council will now prepare an alternative plan for partial repairs of the square based on the demands of the citizens, and the tens of millions of crowns that this project would otherwise absorb can now be dedicated by Prague 3 to the reconstruction of panel houses and public spaces, especially in the lower part of Žižkov," said councilor Irena Ropková (ČSSD).

The costs of the project were estimated at 75 million crowns. The current city hall leadership planned to invest 20 million crowns into the comprehensive reconstruction and wanted to obtain the rest from the capital city, which, however, did not provide financial support to the city district.

In January 2014, the previous leadership of the metropolis and the city district signed a memorandum on cooperation and support for the project. However, since then, the situation has not progressed. According to the plan of the previous city hall leadership, the project was supposed to start implementation as early as 2015. In the past, there were discussions about building an underground parking lot for 450 cars for 750 million crowns in connection with the adjustments. However, the city hall has already stepped back from this intention earlier.

In Prague 3, a coalition of TOP 09, ODS, and ČSSD governs. The municipal elections in 2014 were won by the candidate for Žižkov (not only) for themselves, which brought together the Greens, Mayors, and KDU-ČSL, who, however, separated a few months ago and established their own council club. Councilors from the Party of Free Citizens, KSČM, and Elections for the City also sit in the city district council.