There is a sports ground of stinking underpasses, Prague 7 has modified the surroundings of the Hlávek Bridge
The desolate underpasses under the Holešovice foreland of the Hlávek Bridge have so far served as a shelter for the homeless, while other pedestrians have avoided them.
“By creating transitions on the surface, the tangle of underpasses under the Hlávka Bridge has lost its purpose. It became a place where people were afraid to go even in the light. The boys from Bajkazl entered the competition, saying that it would be possible to make a public sports ground here, “describes Hana Třeštíková (Prague herself), Deputy Mayor of Prague 7 and Councilor of the Capital.
Together with the authors of the project, Martin Kontra and Richard Preisler, the City Hall of Prague 7 has for the last year modified the neglected premises to serve various street activities. The Prague City Hall also collaborated on the project.
According to Třeštíková, the places will be designated for skateboarding, BMX, basketball, exercise, or a wall with climbing handles.
“In the spring, there will be a stand where you can rent a skate and other sports equipment for free,” Třeštíková wrote on her Facebook, saying that it will be closed for a few more weeks before everything is completed. The subways will also remain open for pedestrians.
The town hall has undergone a revitalization of the underpasses to 2.4 million crowns, but the future of the multifunctional sports ground is as uncertain as in the case of the Hlávek Bridge itself.
According to the professional diagnostics of the Klokner Institute of the Czech Technical University, the bridge is in a state of disrepair. Although it is not necessary to demolish the entire bridge, the part near Vltavská is in the worst condition, which is evidenced by the number of struts at the load-bearing points.
Another reason why the sports ground will probably last only a few years here is the project of a new building of the Philharmonic, which is to be built nearby and the Holešovice forecourt of the bridge will be removed as part of the modifications of the entire area. This implementation is planned for 2031.