The reconstruction of the Market Square will bring more greenery to the center of Liberec, reducing collisions

Liberec – More greenery, calming of traffic around the Liberec swimming pool, and fewer collisions should be ensured by the reconstruction of Tržní náměstí, which began today in Liberec. The project, costing 73 million crowns, is divided into phases and is expected to be completed next year. The city council is requesting subsidies for the modifications, and it could obtain around 20 to 25 million crowns for water retention and green renewal, said Deputy Mayor Jiří Janďourek (Mayors for the Liberec Region) during the project's launch today.

"I won't deny that pushing for the reconstruction of Tržní náměstí was not easy; there were many questions from fellow councilors about why to reconstruct a green area again into a green area. This mainly concerns traffic safety at Tržní náměstí, not the green area inside. In the last 20 years, there have been nearly 100 accidents here, mostly at the intersection with Šamánkova Street, Rumjancevova, and here at the intersection with Budyšínská and Durychova," added Mayor Jaroslav Zámečník (Mayors for the Liberec Region).

According to Janďourek, the preparation of the project for the renewal of this part of the city took six years. "The area was originally sloped," he said. The current form of Tržní náměstí was established in the 1980s during the construction of the swimming pool when builders filled it with excavated material and leveled it. "We will remove it and return the square to its original state," said the deputy. Thanks to this, the square will be barrier-free after reconstruction; currently, there are stairs in the lower part.

The square will have a central area and three corners; one will be at the intersection with Budyšínská Street. The second corner will be in the lowest part of the square and will feature a café with restrooms, seating, and play elements for children. The water feature, which has been in the center of the square since the 1980s, will be moved to the area of the third corner towards Šamánkova Street, along with the public transport stop. The water feature will remain, but its technology will be renewed. "The technology that was implemented in the 1980s is completely destroyed and does not meet current conditions," explained Janďourek the reasoning.

Concerns about the revitalization of the square have been expressed in recent months by the opposition and part of the coalition. Critics consider the renovation of the square expensive and some of the work unnecessary. There are also fears about traffic complications. The most common criticisms were directed at the modification of the central part of the square. "I cannot help but feel that the modification of the center of the square seems like a construction for the sake of construction. To dig something up and spend something in the process. But the result is not any improvement, rather the opposite," stated opposition councilor for LOL Jindřich Felcman earlier.