The community house in Bruntál may begin repairs this year

BRUNTÁL - The general renovation of the dilapidated Community House in Bruntál may begin later this year. After many unsuccessful applications for European and state grants, the councilors decided to fund the renovation costing tens of millions of crowns from municipal funds, while also ensuring that the construction does not increase the city’s debt. Jiří Ondrášek, spokesperson for the Bruntál town hall, said this to ČTK. The final decision will be made by councilors next week.
"The financing proposal anticipates the purchase of receivables from the supplier by a financial institution, and the city would gradually pay off the receivables over ten years after the construction is completed," Ondrášek explained. The reconstruction should cost a maximum of 85 million crowns, but councilors expect that companies will offer lower amounts in the tender process.
According to the architectural study, the building is set to become a new community-sport center. The main social hall is meant to be a representative venue again, for events such as balls or conferences, and a quality restaurant and sports center with a bar is planned.
The Community House has been one of the city's landmarks since the end of the 19th century, and it became a cultural monument in 1963. "Its best years were followed by a period of decline, and since the early 1990s it has not been used and has fallen into ruin," Ondrášek described. The biggest problems were unresolved ownership issues and the need for massive investment.
According to experts, the Community House is particularly interesting from an architectural perspective, having once been the main cultural facility of the city. Later, it often became a gathering place for the homeless and vandals, who practically demolished all the equipment inside.