Hradec Králové is preparing a redevelopment of the area around the hockey arena and Stadion hotel

Hradec Králové - The Town Hall of Hradec Králové is preparing to transform the area and surroundings of the ice stadium next to the historical core of the city. In particular, it will address the condition and appearance of the dilapidated small hall with an ice surface and the adjacent Hotel Stadion. The city will have a feasibility study prepared for the changes, as decided by the councilors. It will cost about 2.4 million Czech crowns, the town hall reported today.

"The small hall is not in an ideal state, and we need to decide whether to invest in repairs or tackle its comprehensive reconstruction," said Deputy Mayor for Urban Planning and Architecture Adam Záruba (Change for Hradec). The city will also decide whether to demolish or preserve the hotel.

The basis for the feasibility study will be an urban-architectural study that the city had prepared in 2007. Since then, the condition of the small hall, which the city built in 2001, has significantly worsened. The outdated metal outer shell no longer meets energy standards and does not meet the aesthetic requirements near the historical center.

"The new feasibility study will verify the relevance of the proposal from 2007," Záruba stated. It should also propose possible stages of redevelopment of the location, analyze the technical condition of the buildings, and calculate investment and operating costs.

The study created 16 years ago offered three solutions. Two considered the removal of the hotel and a complete reconstruction and extension of the small hall. The third option was the preservation and reconstruction of the hotel. It also included connecting the ice hockey arena with the small hall. The new intention of the city is to open the Orlice waterfront to the public along the ice stadium between the Moravian Bridge and Jirásek Gardens.

The reconstruction of the ice hockey arena itself was done by the city more than ten years ago. The hall received a new cladding, ceilings, stands, and so-called skyboxes for VIP clients. In the last three years, the city has spent about 80 million crowns to repair the area in front of the ice hockey arena and transformed the nearby Fortna intersection into a roundabout, as well as renovated the platforms for city and regional transport.