The school from Karel Řepa Chvaletice will be repaired without Norwegian subsidies

Chvaletice - The town of Chvaletice in Pardubice will not apply for grants from Norwegian funds for the renovation of the former Masaryk Municipal School designed by architect Karel Řepa. It will renovate it gradually with the help of smaller grants. CTK was informed by mayor Zdeňka Marková (Time for Change). With the grants, the town could have established a museum in the building, but operating costs and financing the investment would be expensive.

"We will continue with a gradual reconstruction with state grants," said the mayor. The council decided on this on Wednesday evening, with nine members against the application, while eight wanted to apply for the Norwegian contribution.

According to the project, the museum would cost 27 million crowns, ten percent would come from the city budget, and operating costs would be one million annually. Most council members felt that the town should focus on other investments.

Chvaletice has been renovating the school for several years. They receive grants from the Pardubice Region and the Ministry of Culture, ranging from one to two million crowns annually. Two years ago, they repaired the roof, and since last year, they have been working on the windows. The repair of the windows will last until next year. The interiors have not yet been reconstructed by the town.

The school, built in 1930, housed a multi-grade class that operated until the 1960s. Řepa designed it visually as a villa and incorporated his favorite elements into the building, including a semi-circular staircase, a concrete coffered ceiling, and a combination of brickwork with uncolored cement plaster.

The school is located in an area known as the Mining Quarter. By the early 1950s, it had about 100 homesteads. When manganese ore began to be mined in the area, the state gradually expropriated and demolished the village. The planned expansion of mining, which would have also led to the demolition of the school, ultimately did not happen. The quarter used to be the center of the community.