The revitalization of Shooter Island is two-thirds complete

Prague - Work on the revitalization of Střelecký Island in Prague is about two-thirds complete. Remaining tasks include finishing the sidewalks, planting trees, and installing play equipment for the children's playgrounds. Lawns and meadows will be seeded only at the end of the reconstruction. The repairs, which are expected to be completed in July, will cost Prague 1 nearly 80 million crowns excluding VAT.
    "Final landscaping adjustments will begin very soon," project designer Tomáš Jiránek told reporters before the completion of the repairs. "In a few days, the trees will start to be planted; play equipment and an elevator are currently being installed, which will still be equipped with a cabin and external shell. Benches will be brought in. The lawns will be established only in the final phase," he stated. A total of 61 new trees will be planted, replacing about three dozen that were cut down.
    The revitalization, which has been planned since 2006, has received a contribution of 25 million from the city council. The historic staircase that belongs to the city is also being repaired. "It is being restored not only as a stonework piece but especially as a static pillar of the entire Legií Bridge. Each step had to be slowly and carefully lifted with a crane into the park, and then repaired and stabilized underneath, all under strict supervision of preservationists," said Jakub Dvořák, the head of the investment department of Prague 1. The interior of the staircase will be converted into restrooms with a changing area, and there will also be facilities for park security.
    One of the biggest interventions in the appearance of the park was the installation of a self-supporting elevator on the north side of the Legií Bridge. There was also consideration given to establishing a small café, but preservationists did not approve of this.
    The project has been criticized in the past by the opposition as "quite generous" and costly. However, according to the designer, it is not expensive. "Prague parks, mostly established a hundred years ago, deserve substantial intervention so that future generations can enjoy them. No one questions the money spent on administrative buildings, and the funds here are comparable to one floor of one building," Jiránek stated.
    The entire project is also costly because all transportation of building materials and some equipment is done by water. "Additionally, we have to get rid of the old infrastructure that was here," Dvořák added.
    In addition to new sidewalks, lighting, and complete infrastructure, two new playgrounds will be added to the island. According to the designer, this might be an unnecessary element, but it was requested by politicians and citizens. "It seems to us that (the playgrounds) somewhat devalue the serious atmosphere of the architectural core. However, it is a contemporary custom and the wish of some politicians and citizens," Jiránek noted, adding that the park itself is a large playground for children.
    The municipality is only repairing the northern part of the island, which is often used for hosting cultural events. The southern tip belongs to a private owner who has a restaurant there. At the turn of July and August, the island is expected to be opened with a popular celebration featuring theater and concerts.