The reconstruction of the Kladno theater will cost 150 million CZK

Kladno - The planned reconstruction of the Kladno theatre will cost 150 million crowns. The city intends to secure funding from the European Union for this purpose. The municipal office can obtain a grant from the EU of up to 85 percent of eligible costs, but applicants usually receive around 50 to 70 percent. The remainder will be covered by the city's contribution, said Mayor Dan Jiránek (ODS) to journalists today.
According to the study by architect David Vávra, the reconstruction is set to begin next June and will last the entire theatre season. During the reconstruction, actors will go on tours or perform in the smaller Kladno theatre Lampion. By September 2011, performances are expected to resume in the newly renovated building.
Jiránek stated that the city council agreed on Monday to announce a tender for the acquisition of project documentation. Vávra has also been contacted. "The basis of the tender is Mr. Vávra's study, the designer will have to follow it," added the mayor.
According to him, the city had to determine the final price at this stage in order to meet all of the EU's requirements. "Because the European Union has certain requirements about how many projects we should execute with its money, how much visitor attendance should increase, how many square meters we should achieve for that money," Jiránek enumerated.
The set price of 150 million including VAT is lower than the estimate provided by the study's author, so according to Jiránek, the project will have to be "scaled back." Vávra had an estimate of 177 million crowns. However, according to the mayor, Kladno cannot request more funds, as it would not be able to meet the grant conditions.
The reconstruction aims to revitalize the dilapidated theatre building and make it more appealing to the audience. Three stages will be created in total, along with a new café and an elevator for theatrical scenery; practically everything except for the theatre technology is expected to be renovated. "It can generally be said that everything here has outlived its usefulness," Vávra mentioned previously, noting that he has designed renovations for the Dobeška Theatre and the Švanda Theatre in Prague in the past.
The reconstruction of the late Art Nouveau building, which has a history dating back to the early 20th century, is intended to enhance the comfort of the audience, even at the cost of reducing capacity by about one hundred to 330 seats. According to director Blanka Bendlová, this does not pose a problem, as the current capacity is seldom fully utilized. Additionally, two more stages are to be created - one in the renovated rehearsal room and the other in the park, which will be used in the summer.