Říčany near Prague want to start building a primary school for 540 children this year.

Říčany – The town of Říčany near Prague wants to start construction of an elementary school for 540 children this year. The town hall has announced a competition for a construction company, the results of which should be known by mid-August. The costs of building the school, including equipment and the construction of a sports facility, gymnasium, and underground parking, are around 800 million crowns, said Mayor David Michalička (Calm City) to ČTK.

The city has an approved grant for the project. The initiative will be co-financed from the Operational Program Environment and from the Ring I program of the Ministry of Education. "We are in suspense because we are waiting for the results of the tender. The envelopes should be opened in mid-August, and we firmly hope that construction will begin this year," stated Michalička.

The new building with 18 core classrooms will be created on a meadow in the midst of residential development at Komenského Square, and according to the town hall, it will likely be the largest wooden building in the Czech Republic. The project includes the construction of two connected pavilions and a gymnasium with an outdoor playground. The building will be heated by heat pumps in a passive energy standard. The city plans to install photovoltaic panels on the green roofs of the school and gymnasium for electricity production.

The modern building designed by the architectural office Rusina Frei was selected by a jury in an architectural competition in 2017 from 20 proposals. The project also includes the planting of a public park in the central part of Komenského Square.

The number of children in the sixteen-thousand-strong town is still increasing, and the existing facilities are insufficient; moreover, the buildings of the 1st Elementary School at Masaryk Square and in Olivova Street need renovation. Due to its location near Prague, Říčany is under significant pressure from developers and prospective residents. The city has also repeatedly won in a survey by the company Municipalities in Data, which shows that it is the best place to live in the country. There are currently four municipal elementary schools in Říčany; for example, the 1st Elementary School cannot fit into one building and operates in multiple buildings. According to the town hall, the new facility is necessary to meet the legal obligation of providing basic education for children.