At the dam in Jablonec nad Nisou, builders are completing new facilities for visitors

Jablonec nad Nisou - Construction workers are finishing new facilities for visitors near the Mšeno dam in Jablonec nad Nisou before the start of the summer season. Work is nearing completion on the seasonal refreshment building with toilets on the dam, while a bit further away from the Base, builders are completing a wooden structure with year-round toilets, a pergola, and a sandbox. Everything should be finished by the end of May, but the refreshment stall will open only in June, said the spokesperson for the city magistrate, Jana Fričová, today.

The Mšeno dam is a popular swimming spot not only for nearly 45,000 residents of Jablonec but also attracts people from the wider area. On hot days, up to 5,000 people head there daily. However, the facilities are inadequate and diverse, which is why the city hall decided to change that. The architectural competition for the new facilities was won in 2020 by Marek Přikryl from the Prokš Přikryl architects studio with the idea of using wooden modules to give the buildings a uniform appearance.

Since last year, a refreshment stall with toilets and storage boxes has been serving the location at U Prutu on the opposite side of the dam, which cost the city 12 million crowns. The city hall will pay 19 million crowns for the other two buildings, which were contracted to the company RD Rýmařov, specializing in wooden structures. "The schedule is progressing without major changes; only at the Base did they encounter an old tank, so they had to clean that up, while on the dam, the environment required greater protection for the trees," said the city spokesperson.

The building at the dam will offer, during the summer season, not only refreshments but also toilets, changing rooms, places to store belongings, and an outdoor shower for visitors to the dam. The building at the Base will have toilets that will be available year-round. The architectural competition also proposed solutions for the area under the headquarters of the Elbe River Basin. "There should be refreshments, a covered terrace, lockers for storing items, a shower, and a changing room; that is pending for next year if we reach an agreement with the basin authorities, as the lands belong to them," Fričová added.

Additionally, this year, the city purchased the lands on the Tajvan peninsula for 35 million crowns from a private owner and initiated an architectural and construction cleanup of the area. The dismantling of the remnants of the former excursion restaurant has already been completed. "The refreshment stall and the surrounding asphalt areas were also demolished. The access road to Tajvan has been restored and there is now better-organized parking," said Deputy Mayor Petr Roubíček (ODS). The city will use stones from the buildings to create seating around a public fire pit and will also take care of the local greenery.