Chotěboř opened an expanded sports complex, investing approximately 85 million CZK

Chotěboř – Chotěboř in the Havlíčkův Brod region has opened an expanded summer sports complex. It invested approximately 85 million crowns (excluding tax) into it, with contributions from regional and state subsidies. Thanks to this, the sports facility will be utilized by locals and people from the wider area, said the town's mayor Ondřej Kozub (ODS)

According to him, the major work on the complex was completed on Friday, and now only minor finishing touches will be addressed. Today, the town officially opened the complex, which had already been accessible from the morning.

The foundation of the summer sports facility was a football stadium that the mayor estimates is around 70 years old. Later, a cinder pitch was added, followed by an artificial grass pitch. An athletic track around the football stadium was also upgraded, now featuring a new surface, along with tennis and volleyball courts.

Due to the work that began last spring, the volleyball courts have been refurbished. The complex now includes a beach volleyball court, a pump track, and a large inline skating track. A new feature is a small training ground for football players. "It is, let's say, a cage for training two on two, for explosive football training, where it is necessary to quickly outmaneuver the opponent in a small space," said Kozub. In addition, there is a multifunctional court for ball sports and an amphitheater, which can be used for outdoor cinema screenings, but primarily serves as an outdoor classroom for sports theory or for award ceremonies. The skatepark and outdoor gym have also been modernized and now include parkour elements. The area is complemented by a children's playground. "And we have also installed a misting system for these hot days, making it more comfortable," emphasized the mayor.

Compared to the original plans, the cost of the reconstruction increased by about ten million crowns, and the completion date was pushed from May to August. According to the mayor, this was due to the need for larger remediation work and the equipment that was added to the complex. This also included an irrigation system with new water tanks for the courts and a smaller football pitch. "Given the current situation with water, there would likely have been a problem with irrigation otherwise. It is better to have a larger water reservoir prepared," added Kozub.

The regional subsidy amounted to 25 million crowns, and the town received 30 million crowns from the National Sports Agency. The remaining funds were covered by its own budget.

According to the mayor, the complex is ready for hosting sports training camps. Chotěboř attracts teams from the wider region also due to its location near the Pardubice and Central Bohemia regions. The only limitation is the insufficient accommodation options. For this reason, the town plans to convert a building near the nearby ice rink for accommodation purposes.