The unfinished park on Střelecký Island is underwater

Prague - The swollen Vltava flooded the under-construction park on Prague's Štvanice Island, which was almost completed. There was still work to finish the sidewalks and plant trees on the construction worth almost 80 million crowns. The island was set to receive two new playgrounds, new lighting and water supply, and newly reconstructed toilets, equipped with a changing area for parents with children, which were expected to be finished by July.
Due to the high water levels, Prague prohibited entry and stay in five parks at 6:00 PM, including Petřín, Kinský Garden, Letná, Stromovka, and Vítkov.
"Štvanice Island is mostly flooded. Therefore, we will be able to assess the damages as soon as the water recedes," said Veronika Blažková, spokesperson for Prague 1, which is funding the island's repairs. According to her, there was material and construction equipment on the island.
Štvanice Island is being reconstructed by the construction company Swietelsky. According to Blažková, the damages will fall on the company, but it should be insured against such unpredictable situations, added the spokesperson for the city district.
One of the biggest interventions in the park's appearance was the installation of a self-supporting elevator on the northern side of the Legions Bridge. There were also considerations for setting up a small café, but this was not permitted by the heritage protectors.
In the past, the opposition criticized the project as "quite generous" and expensive. However, according to the designer, it is not expensive. "Prague parks, mostly established about a hundred years ago, deserve significant intervention so that future generations can enjoy them. No one questions the money spent on administrative buildings, and here that money is comparable to one floor of one building," said Jiránek.
The entire project is also costly because all transportation of construction materials and some equipment happens via water. "Moreover, we need to get rid of the old infrastructure that was here," added Dvořák.
The city district is only repairing the northern part of the island, which is often used for 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 folk celebration featuring theater and concerts.