Praha 6 has withdrawn from the plan for underground garages at Puškinovo náměstí

Prague - The City Hall of Prague 6 has abandoned the plan to build underground garages in Pushkin Square. Some local residents opposed the proposal. The councilors of the sixth district decided that nothing would be built beneath the square during the current electoral term, spokesman Martin Šalek said today. Opponents of the proposal, who feared the destruction of the park, consider this a victory.
    According to Šalek, all expert studies indicated that Pushkin Square was suitable for the construction of garages. The councilors' decision not to build is reportedly political. They stated that they do not feel the demand from local residents, rather the opposite, the spokesman said.
    A petition against the plan to place underground garages beneath Pushkin Square was created before last year's municipal elections. It was signed by around 1,700 people. Some local residents were primarily unhappy that the construction of garages would invade the park area. The city hall leadership, on the other hand, promised a new park.
    The civic association Pushkin Square, which protested against the garage construction proposal, is holding a celebratory concert directly in the square on Wednesday. "It has been shown that people care about where and how they live, and they perceive whether there is a dialogue with them and whether someone asks them rather than the investors what they wish for in the immediate vicinity of their residence," said Hana Palesová from the association.
    The original plan anticipated that there could be space for more than 300 cars beneath Pushkin Square. The city hall claims that there is a shortage of about 800 parking spaces in the central parts of Bubenec and Dejvice. A new parking concept will be developed by the end of the year.
    On the other hand, underground garages are already being built between Wuchterlova and Kafka Street. They will provide spaces for more than a hundred cars and will serve exclusively local residents. The Dejvice city hall has allocated 100 million crowns in this year's budget for their construction. The former surface parking lot will also undergo modifications costing about five million crowns, transforming it into a small square. There will be greenery, benches, and a water feature.