For the restoration of the park at the North Bohemian Museum in Liberec, the region will pay 11.4 million CZK more

Liberec – The Liberec Region will pay nearly 11.4 million crowns more for the restoration of the park at the Ústí nad Labem Museum in Liberec than originally planned. The work will cost 49.7 million crowns, which is about eight percent more than initially estimated. The reasons include changes to the project and less funding from grants, said Deputy Governor Edvard Kožušník, who presented the material to the council today. The increase in the regional share was approved by the councilors today.

The project was prepared by the region six years ago, and according to Kožušník, the reason for the higher price is also the increase in the prices of construction materials and labor. "The grant provider reduced the contribution by eight million crowns because the methodology was changed during the project," added the deputy. According to him, this was due to high demand for support for similar projects. "The third reason, which amounts to about 3.2 million crowns, is the relocation of the public transport stop due to the entrance to the technical part of the museum," he added.

The history of the museum park dates back to 1876, when the Nature Friends Society established the first public botanical garden in the Czech Republic at this site. However, the original garden completely disappeared under several meters of fill approximately 20 years later during the construction of the museum building. Among the most significant specimens in the park are mature native species, such as the European beech and the Norway spruce, likely planted during the construction of the museum building, or the rare Eastern spruce, which is over 100 years old. There is also Javanese spruce, red oak, larch pine, and the Nooteck cypress.

The restoration project was developed by the Krejčiříkovi Atelier, which specializes in the restoration of historic buildings. Its architects have also worked on the restoration of the parks at Sychrov Castle and the Kuks Hospital, among others. The traffic surfaces will gradually be replaced with permeable stone paving or gravel areas. The park will also receive new lighting, rainwater harvesting, and an irrigation system. "It should be completed by the end of the year," museum director Jiří Křížek told ČTK.

Some trees had to be cut down due to poor condition, and the rhododendrons that covered the access stairs have also been removed, but the gardeners just relocated them elsewhere. Trees and shrubs will be supplemented with new plantings. "We want to plant perennials that will bloom, and shrubs, adding another interesting layer to the space," said Přemysl Krejčiřík from the Krejčiříkovi Atelier to ČTK earlier. The gardeners plan to plant species of flowers and shrubs that previously grew in the gardens of neighboring villas around Masaryk Avenue, making them characteristic of the area.