Prague is considering restricting the operation of swimming pools in Šutka and Hloubětín
The Prague municipality is considering limiting the operation of the swimming pools in Šutka and Hloubětín, which it owns, due to higher energy prices. City councilor Jan Chabra (TOP 09) told ČTK. The outgoing council decided on Monday that the municipality will analyze the further operation and take over the swimming pools from the company Monteservis Praha, which is no longer interested in continuing their management due to high energy prices. Newly, the municipal company Trade Center Praha (TCP) should be in charge of the operation of the Aquacenter Šutka and Plavecký and the sports complex Hloubětín.
The councilors authorized TCP to start negotiations with the Monteservis company regarding the transfer of management of both campuses. At the same time, the municipal department of property has to ensure the processing of an economic and legal analysis for the transfer and subsequent operation of swimming pools. “We are looking for a suitable economic-operational model of operation,” said Chabr. Among other things, lowering the temperature is also a consideration water.
Chabr added that energy prices now mean a higher operating loss, which the city will have to subsidize. According to him, an adequate increase in the entrance fee is not realistic, and a complete closure, including swimming pools, would mean the loss of jobs and services for the public of schools that use swimming courses. How the municipality will proceed further will be decided by the new management of the municipality, whose composition is now being discussed by the parties successful in the municipal elections.
The construction of Šutka began in 1987 and the expected completion date was 1994. However, due to a lack of money and restitution of land, the work was stopped. The ceremonial opening of Šutka took place on January 17, 2013, and Prague paid 748 million crowns for the construction of the complex. The swimming pool in Hloubětín was put into operation as early as 1978, in 2013 the municipality had it reconstructed.
The chairman of the board of the Association of Pools and Saunas of the Czech Republic, Pavel Košnar, told ČTK in August that pool operators will be forced to lower the temperature due to high prices water to roughly 22 degrees from the current 26 degrees Celsius. In connection with this, one can expect a lower interest of people in visiting and also complications in school swimming lessons, he added.
Source: ČTK, photo: Hl. m Prague
9/27/2022 1:39 PM, Heading: Water purity and recreation, Water and our wallet, Water business and laws