The space after the demolished torso in Zlín has opened to the public

Zlín - The Zlín City Hall officially opened to the public the space of the demolished structure, known as the torso, which stood in the Jižní Svahy housing estate since the late 1980s. A 2.5-hectare area is available to the public. One hectare consists of a grassy plain, while the rest has retained the original scattered greenery, stated the city hall spokesperson Zdeněk Dvořák in a press release today.

A flower meadow has been created over 2000 square meters. "For the meadow to develop and seed properly, it needs a special mowing regime. The meadow will be mowed twice a year. Visitors will learn about this from an informative sign," said landscape architect Zuzana Hegmonová from the city hall's municipal greenery department.

Part of the extensive green area also includes a new disc golf course. "The rules of the game are part of a large information board by the main sidewalk, plus smaller descriptive signs at each disc golf exit. The revitalization of the greenery will continue this fall and next spring," the spokesperson said.

According to the city hall, decisions about how the space will be used in the future will be made by the new leadership of the city. They will also have access to the results of a survey previously conducted among the public. Of the total number of 572 participants, nearly half expressed support for sports facilities and recreational space.

According to Mayor Miroslav Adámek (STAN), the area left by the torso is the most significant development area that Zlín has. In the future, he would also like to see something called the World of Rescuers, where children can learn to respond to crisis situations in a playful manner. A similar facility exists, for example, in Karlovy Vary. "Alongside the greenery, this area should also serve relaxation purposes, the development of housing, and better services for the entire Jižní Svahy area," the mayor stated.

The concrete structure was built in the middle of the housing estate in 1988. It was intended to serve as a department store but was never completed and gradually deteriorated. The city repeatedly tried to purchase it, successfully acquiring the building and adjacent land for 53 million crowns in 2014. The demolition of the torso began in 2016.