The Opava city hall wants to build a new swimming pool for 300 million

Opava - The Opava magistrate wants to build a new indoor swimming pool. The facility, costing approximately 300 million crowns, is expected to start construction in 2018. However, project documentation will begin to be prepared this year. The existing pool is nearing the end of its service life, approaching a state of emergency, and the city does not rule out that it will be demolished in a few years. Opava's Mayor Radim Křupala (ČSSD) said this today to ČTK.

The new pool is set to be built in Městské sady, in close proximity to the summer swimming pool. According to the plan, both facilities should be connected in the summer months so that visitors to the indoor pool can, for example, use the slides at the swimming pool.

The current pool is located almost in the center of the city, and some residents are unhappy with its relocation to the outskirts. They fear reduced accessibility. Others welcome that it will move from a busy road to a quieter location in Opava.

The new pool has been discussed in the city for a while. Five years ago, the first study was created, according to which the pool was to be two stories high and included slides. Now, the council has had the study revised to reduce costs. Among other things, they canceled the planned slides. According to the current city plans, the facility should be single-story, with a swimming pool measuring 25 meters in length and eight lanes. The recreational pool, which will have water features such as jets, a lazy river, and similar amenities, should be of the same size. The facility will also include saunas, massage showers, and a café.

“We expect the project to be completed by the end of September. By the end of the year, we hope to obtain a zoning decision. In 2017, if everything goes well, we will apply for a building permit, and construction could begin in the first half of 2018,” Křupala said. He estimates the duration of the work to be 18 months. The new pool could be opened to the public at the end of 2019.

During this entire period, the existing municipal pool will continue to operate. What will happen to it afterward is still uncertain, according to the mayor. “The lifespan of the pool basin is ending in four years. Its repair would cost 20 million crowns,” the mayor said. However, the city does not want to have two similar facilities. Therefore, the demolition of the old pool and the utilization of the lucrative land in the city center in another way is being considered.

Magistrate representatives have also considered the possibility of refurbishing the existing pool and expanding it with a recreational area. The project would cost 140 million crowns. “The reconstruction would be expensive, which is why we started talking about a completely new building,” added the mayor's deputy Dalibor Halátek (Změna pro Opavu).

The city wants to seek subsidies for the construction. However, suitable European funds are currently unavailable, so they will turn to the ministries.