Pečky has suspended the completion of the gymnasium for 205 million CZK due to problems with the foundation

Pečky – Pečky in the Kolín region have suspended work on the completion of the gymnasium and classrooms of the primary school. The reason is problems with the foundation of the existing part of the school complex that the builders discovered during demolition work. Professional tests showed that one of the exposed load-bearing piles is not long enough. The structural engineer also questioned the length of the other piles, and according to the city, it is currently not possible to continue with the planned construction. The town hall announced this on Facebook. Work on the completion, costing 205 million crowns, began in June, and according to the town hall, it is the city's largest investment to date.

"A statics error has occurred; the designers need to resolve how to remedy the piles so they can build the extension on it," said Milan Paluska (ODS and NK), the mayor of Pečky, to ČTK. According to him, the city is working with experts to verify options for foundation remediation and potential redesign of the entire building's static solution. The aim is to resume work as quickly as possible and limit additional costs. According to Paluska, the identified problem does not affect the statics of the original building.

Complications arose even at the start of the foundation work for the new building when remediation of the piles under the foundation strip of the school kitchen had to be addressed. Subsequent demolition raised doubts about the quality and length of the load-bearing piles under the standing building. These were confirmed by tests using the PIT method and a control core drill into one of the exposed piles.

The city has agreed with the construction company to suspend work, which the town hall believes will minimize costs. The city leadership and its legal representative are also gathering and evaluating documentation and dealing with legal issues related to the identified situation. "By someone making the piles shorter than guaranteed, we will certainly hold them accountable. But I don't want to jump ahead; we've handed this over to the lawyers, and they should indicate how to proceed," Paluska added.

The contract was awarded to a consortium of companies Marhold and Pohl cz with a bid of 205 million crowns. The construction started in early June and, according to the original schedule, was supposed to last 18 months, until the end of 2027. In June, the council approved the acceptance of a 100 million crown loan from Česká spořitelna to finance the completion. The city is expected to draw it from January 2027 to March 2028 under the approved conditions.

The completion is set to include a gymnasium, a hall for approximately 150 children, three specialized classrooms, and a connecting corridor. The primary school has nearly 770 students and is one of the largest schools in the Kolín region. About a quarter of the children commute to it from surrounding municipalities.