Brno longs to change the subway. The stallholders will lose their jobs, the activists are afraid Company News Brněnská Drbna
Stink, spin and often dubious being. This is the current picture of the Brno underpass under the main railway station, which has long been one of Brno’s greatest disgraces. The city is preparing to renovate the neglected area. However, the plans of the town hall may also be thwarted by the civic initiative Let’s Save the Brno Underpass, which fears about the fate of the stallholders.
The plan to repair the underpass, which also includes the famous Myší díra passage, has been underway in the Moravian metropolis for several years. In the meantime, however, everyone broke their teeth over the intention. Now the city was shining hopes for the expected change. Last year, Brno became the owner of the building and wants to give new life to the space that thousands of people pass through every day. “The subway will definitely not make a good impression. We will modernize its facilities, preserve our shops and services. We want to avoid visual smog for them so that they fit into the overall transformation, “ the deputy mayor of Brno explained the vision Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL).
The city wants to reconstruct the subway.
According to the new design, which was prepared by the Office of the Architect of the City of Brno, the space should undergo a fundamental change not only in terms of visual but also in terms of practice. The plan is to illuminate the passage more, while connecting the train platforms with elevators. In addition, there is to be a place where people can find clear information about train and tram timetables, or a new shopping arcade.
Uncertain outcome of the trial
However, there is still a difficult way to implement the city’s plans. An optimistic scenario can run into court, for example. City Hall is still settling property disputes over the ownership of stalls, which are claimed by a private company.
“As for the issue of removing the stands, this trial is underway. Due to this fact, we will not comment further on the topic. “ said a spokesman for the Brno municipality without further details Filip Poňuchálek.
We will lose culture, we are afraid of activists
The plan to rebuild the tunnel from the 1980s also lifted some of the public from their chairs. Activists from the newly created civic initiative Let’s Save the Brno Underpass, demand that representatives of the city management communicate with the stallholders and inform them about the planned steps. The sellers, some of whom belong to the Vietnamese community, have temporary contracts for an indefinite period and do not know, they will still be able to work in the newly renovated space. That is why they wrote a petition, which is currently signed by almost 6,000 people.
“Our goal is to have some strength and the city to have fun with us. At the moment, he does not solve the situation and does not even communicate with the stallholders as to how to proceed. Whether they will be able to run their trades in the new space. Traders there have no security now, and their livelihoods often depend on it. ” explained the coordinator of the initiative Tomáš Uher, which also points to the cultural value of the space. For example, paintings or street musicians hang in the subway.
However, the municipality does not agree with the association’s statement. According to Poňuchálek, the city initiative representing the rights of stallholders has not yet officially contacted. At the same time, however, he claims that if he does so, the town hall does not oppose a joint dialogue.
Entrance to the Mouse Hole, through which the people of Brno shorten their way to the railway station
The underpass is safe
Part of the underpass is also a not very handsome Mouse Hole tunnel, which people use as a shortcut on the way from the station. At the same time, the shopping arcade, which mainly offers a number of fashion pieces, arouses the distrust of many even in terms of security, for example due to possible problems with petty crime. As for the fire safety of the area, firefighters reassure that it meets all standards.
“The premises have been approved, so they comply with fire regulations. In addition, fires avoid the subway. The last one was in 2016 and was only minor. There should be no problem with a possible evacuation. In addition, the smoke has the opportunity to escape a number of exits from the subway out, “ assured a spokesman for the South Moravian fire brigade Jaroslav Mikoška.