VIDEO: The former mine site in Oslavany is used for production and entertainment
The sensitive reconstruction of the area benefited
The architect’s effort was to preserve the typical features of the buildings and their construction, originating from the years 1911-1913. “During the renovation of the buildings, we took advantage of the fact that it was clear to everyone at a glance what was newly added and what were the original buildings of the area. That’s why the facade of all the buildings is made in two different colors – the light gray of the newly added part, a combination of light yellow and the original mine buildings,” explained the executive Strojirny Oslavany Alena Lubasová.
The reconstruction of the entire area was a very expensive matter, according to the manager, it required a total of around 150 million crowns. And it would not be possible without European subsidies. The EU contributions were almost 57 million crowns, and the company covered the other expenses from its own resources.
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When Alena Lubasová joined the Oslavan engineering company years ago, she decided to work on a grant application that contributed to its gradual modernization. “But then I started another project, and suddenly more and more were added like a puzzle to a jigsaw puzzle. Suddenly it all started to make sense,” says Alena Lubasová with a smile today. In the end, we managed to succeed with six European subsidy projects.
“During the renovation of the buildings, we took advantage of the fact that it was clear to everyone at a glance what was newly added and what were the original buildings of the area.”
However, everything was not always sunny during the restoration of the former mine, a number of problems arose and had to be solved. “The adjustment of the entire terrain in the area was not easy at all. Today we have asphalted roads and planted greenery, which gives a compact impression. But before that there was wasteland everywhere. Few people can imagine how difficult it was to clean up all the remains of the mining activity and make the space welcoming,” thought the director of the Oslavana company.
She also mentioned why the company expanded its business portfolio to include tourism and innovative education. “When we already had a cultural monument on our property – a mining tower, we thought it would be appropriate to use it for tourism and for people to also have something from the time of our ancestors,” Alena Lubasová outlined the beginnings of the birth of the Permonium amusement park. In it, children from 3 years old and adults will have fun on various adrenaline and educational attractions.
The Rainbow World amusement park was added to Permonium last year. In it, at more than twenty educational stations, the smallest children will learn how to protect nature and have fun with various water features.
The campus is proud of a number of awards
Today’s training center testifies to the fact that even the interior of the former brownfield has been tastefully renovated. Its repaired high ceiling with original structures and a walkway gives the entire space a lofty atmosphere and points to the skill of our ancestors.
For the sensitive and high-quality reconstruction of the entire premises, Strojírna Oslavany received quite a number of awards from experts – for example, in 2010 it already received the highest award Business Property of the Year – Brownfield of the Year from CzechInvest and the Ministry of Industry and Trade. From the South Moravian Region in the Best Repaired Cultural Monument of the South Moravian Region competition in 2008-2012, it received the prize for the best repaired technical monument.
In 2012, the mining tower of the Kukla mine in Oslavany was made available and nominated for the title Construction of the Year 2012.
Alena Lubasová: Without subsidies from the EU, such a demanding brownfield reconstruction would not be possible
The former premises of the Kukla black coal mine in Oslavany became a completely modern space with a new use after an expensive reconstruction. Strojírna Oslavany, which owns the site, in which it launched not only modernized production, but also amusement parks Permonium AND Rainbow world.
We are talking about the transformation of the former brownfield together with the director of the company Strojírna Oslavany Alena Lubasová.
Director of Strojírna Oslavany Alena LubasováCould you briefly introduce your company?
Strojírna Oslavany is a manufacturing company that produces shock absorbers for rolling stock and components for transport systems. Over fifty percent of our company’s production is exported, not only within the EU, but throughout the world. Next year we will celebrate thirty years since the foundation of our company.
With the help of EU subsidies, your company decided to redevelop the former site of a black coal mine into a modern space that will once again serve people. Can you mention the final EU subsidy project, which completed the chapter of the area’s renewal?
The project for the reconstruction and completion of the modernization of the brownfield is the final subsidy project for real estate, supported by the resources of the European Union. The total costs for its implementation between 2015 and 2017 initially amounted to around 28 million crowns, of which the European subsidy amounted to more than 9.8 million crowns. It was about completing the entire mine area, which was built on an area of 5.5 hectares between 1911 and 1913.
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How many subsidized European projects have you discovered so far for the reconstruction of the area?
Work on the reconstruction of the entire area was gradually paid for from six subsidy projects. It involved landscaping, all buildings were repaired and modernized, as well as fencing and the access road. The modernization of the production area gave Strojírna Oslavany enough space for its expansive growth while preserving the historical character of all buildings. For example, part of the renewal was the reconstruction of the hall, which we call the hall of the future. We placed top-of-the-line automated machines in it. Next to this building, we built another hall, which has a robotic and automated workplace.
“The investment in the reconstruction of the entire area came to almost 150 million crowns. Without subsidy support from the European Union, we could never afford it.”
How did it come about that in addition to the production buildings, you also set up amusement parks on the premises?
In 2012, the company expanded its business to include tourism and innovative education as a result of the fact that in its real estate portfolio it also owned a ruined Kukla mining tower, which she had registered as a cultural monument in 2009. In 2012, an amusement park was created here, which over time expanded around the heavy tower, and in 2018, on another revitalized area, it grew with another part of the amusement park for the little ones with the ecological context Rainbow World.
So can you tell us how much the reconstruction of the entire brownfield of the former Oslavan coal mine actually cost?
The total amount of investment in the reconstruction of the entire area came to almost 150 million crowns. Without subsidy support from the European Union, as a medium-sized company, we could never have afforded to achieve such a large-scale project and preserve the heritage of the past for the future.