Repairs of the cultural center in Aš will be extended and costs will rise to 150 million CZK

Aš - Repairs of the cultural center in Aš, located in the Cheb region, will take longer according to the city hall. The completion date for the community center has been moved from March to May. After furnishing the building, the center could begin operations at the end of this year, said Milan Vrbata, spokesperson for the city, to ČTK. The reconstruction will also cost approximately 30 million more, totaling around 150 million crowns.

The overall renovation of the Aš Cultural Center (AKS) began in June 2023. The construction is primarily financed by the city from its budget and partially from a grant from the Ministry of Regional Development amounting to 54 million crowns.

"The cultural center is now called a community center, which means that it will have spaces for non-profit organizations and clubs. There are two halls, a traditional large hall and a small concert hall, which will be used for large events or smaller chamber-type events. I think it will be a very dignified environment for balls and perhaps for serious music concerts and so on," described Vrbata the changes. The cultural center used to host the traditional city ball, as well as graduation balls for the gymnasium and other association balls. These could return from this autumn.

Repairs will be extended also due to complications with the ground; according to the city hall, part of the building was constructed without foundations. "Acoustic issues are also being addressed in the halls, which are truly poor. Measures are being taken to rectify this," stated the spokesperson. After the reconstruction, the maximum capacity of the hall will be reduced due to new standards and escape routes.

In other rooms and offices, associations and organizations that previously operated in various locations around the city or did not even have their own premises will now have new facilities. According to Vrbata, this includes, for example, a debt counseling center, a low-threshold center that works with drug users, but also sports associations. Some spaces will be shared by multiple organizations.

In the past, there were discussions about demolishing the AKS. However, the building has been protected as a monument since 2019, and all construction work has therefore been coordinated with the preservationists, including the color of the interior plaster and the façade. The monument protection did not allow for window replacements; they were only repaired, so the city hall does not yet know how expensive the heating of the building will be.

The management of the AKS will be ensured by the city company Tebyt, which manages the property of Aš. A manager is expected to be selected by June, who will also be involved in the finishing works. The city is also preparing a repeated tender for furnishing the AKS with furniture, which did not succeed the first time due to high bidding prices.

The AKS building was built in 1912 and originally served as a community house with a gymnasium. Over time, it transformed into a school, a restaurant, and a cultural center. During the interwar years, according to historical records in the city chronicle, it was where Konrad Henlein, a later imperial commissioner and Sudetenland governor, worked as a physical education teacher.