<Přerov> had to cancel the competition for the renovation of the square, yet it will be renewed

Přerov - The Přerov Town Hall had to cancel the competition for the repair of the square named after the revolutionary and sailor of the Austrian navy, František Rasch. No one was interested in the contract. The city decided to revitalize it nonetheless. This decision comes in light of the upcoming hundredth anniversary of the execution of this Přerov native. The Town Hall will commission the reconstruction directly from the company Strabag. Their workers are expected to start the modifications by the end of summer, with repairs lasting until autumn, reported ČTK spokesperson Lenka Chalupová. The city will invest 2.3 million crowns into the park repairs.

"The company will carry out the revitalization of the public space, consisting of repairing paved areas and sidewalks, workers will replace the existing benches and reconstruct the container station for sorted waste, which will also be expanded and newly fenced. A row of trees will be planted here and the area will be enlivened with flower beds of ornamental grasses,” said Deputy Mayor Petr Měřínský (ANO).

City representatives had commissioned an urban study of the square already 12 years ago. The original version included a motif of ocean waves in the paving, which was meant to serve as a reminder of the events in which the Přerov native František Rasch was involved. It will be one hundred years since his execution next year on February 11. "Rasch was one of the leaders of the sailors' mutiny in the Bay of Kotor, and they have not forgotten him there to this day. We confirmed that during our personal visit. In 2016, we signed a partnership agreement with Kotor, and we plan to invite representatives of the city to Přerov, where a commemorative event will take place at the beginning of next year,” said Deputy Tomáš Navrátil (ANO).

The park is triangular in shape and covers an area of 3,513 square meters. It also includes a monument with a bust of František Rasch, which has been listed as a cultural monument since 1987. Currently, it is not very frequented by people; they primarily use it to shorten their route. The park is adjacent to another one located at Liberty Square, which the Town Hall also plans to revitalize in the future.

Rasch was born in 1889 in Přerov. He was one of the leaders of the mutiny in the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro, which began on February 1, 1918, on the armored cruiser Sankt Georg. Several thousand sailors participated in it. The Austro-Hungarian naval command suppressed the mutiny and executed its four leaders, including Rasch. The reason for the mutiny was dissatisfaction with the inhumane conditions on the ships.