Svitavy started transforming the factory into an educational center

SVITAVY - In Svitavy today, they began the reconstruction of the former Vigona textile factory into an educational and cultural center. The total costs will amount to approximately 140 million crowns, of which about 80 percent will be provided by European Union funds. The work is expected to be completed in April 2007, said Václav Koukal, the mayor of Svitavy, to ČTK.
"Today, demolition has started inside. It's a complicated maneuver because, for example, reinforced concrete structures need to be cut out and windows replaced," he stated. The skeleton of the building, which dates back to the early twentieth century, will be preserved. This unique example of industrial architecture from that time is part of the city's heritage conservation area.
According to the mayor, the new center will primarily serve an educational function. "There will be a modern library, connected to a large congress and cultural hall, as well as an internet café," he noted. The Economic Chamber and various associations will have their offices here, and the building will also house a maternal center, a university for the elderly, a Romani association, and a restaurant.
The project also includes the construction of a new parking lot, which will relieve traffic in the square. "The reconstructed Wolker Alley will become a place for meetings and walks, which will once again come to life with people after many long decades," he added. Vigona has relocated to the local industrial zone, where it has built a new factory.