The children from the Zlin home are moving to the renovated Malota villa

Zlín - Children from the children's home in Zlín at Lazeh can finally sleep in their own beds again after half a year. They had to move from the heritage-protected Malotova Villa in May along with the staff and all their belongings to the abandoned House of Children and Youth Astra in Příluky. The former residence of one of the directors of Baťa's companies, František Malota, was completely reconstructed, with the renovation costing 15 million crowns.
    Malotova Villa was built in 1937, and 11 years later the building was confiscated. In the 1990s, part of the building was returned to the restitution claimants, and part remained with the city. Due to complicated property relations, the building was never properly reconstructed. Last year, it was purchased from the owners by the Zlín Region.
    The majority of the funds were allocated for the restoration of wooden spaces, marble cladding, and also for producing items such as historical window handles and imitations of the original flooring. Workers reconstructed the gas, electricity, and water systems, sanitary facilities, and external facades within the building. Only the cast-iron radiators remained original.
    "However, we are still missing some things," said the director of the home, Helena Stráská, to ČTK and Czech Radio. The children received a brand new playground for ball games, but right below it is a steep hill, for which there wasn't enough money to build a fence. "Because snow fell, we couldn't even plant flowers around the home. We will try to make up for everything in the spring," the director noted.
    The entire children's home functioned for six months in a former school and the House of Children and Youth in the Zlín part of Příluky. The move was assisted today not only by the staff of the facility but also by friends of the home, their husbands and wives, and the clients of the home. "I am really looking forward to going home because this place is a bit far from the center, we have our friends there, and it feels like ours. It's our base," said a client of the home, Lenka. "I have already seen my little room, and it looks very nice. It'll also be closer to school, so it will be better," said her friend Pepa, adding that at first he felt like he was at camp in the temporary location.
    The children's home has been located in Malotova Villa since 1951, taking care of two families with eight children each with a team of 12 staff members.