The rear part of the former Kinokavárna building is awaiting demolition, it is in a state of disrepair
Memories of the Cinema Café recall it as a social centre - screening films, but especially the famous discos in the 1990s. Since the closure of the building at the turn of the millennium, however, the building has remained unused and its condition has begun to deteriorate. Water leaks, falling plaster, damaged ceilings (woodworm) and deteriorated masonry are just some of the problems that plague the building today.
The current city administration must address the consequences of the years of inaction of its predecessors, and the solution is to partially demolish the building. Specifically, the rear section. "Such a move will never be popular with the citizens. This is doubly true in this case. The cinema café witnessed the first cinema experiences, discos, friendly meetings and memories that have remained with us to this day. That is also why it evokes negative feelings in people. My aim was and is to ensure that the cinema no longer decays and that it and the land around it find its role and purpose. Unfortunately, one of the steps is the need to first deal with the consequences of long-term neglect. We will no longer stand by and let the building eventually fall down in its entirety. We have therefore commissioned a structural assessment of the condition of the building and its conclusion is clear. The rear part of the building must fall to the ground, it's really dangerous," explains Mayor Jan Šimek.
The expert's report stated that some parts of the structure are in a state of disrepair and are infested with wood-destroying fungi and are in danger of collapsing. He therefore recommended demolishing the endangered wing and securing the remaining part of the building - the façade - which has historical value. "The architectural value of the rear section, which has been rebuilt over the years, is not great. Just look at the original period photographs and the state after the reconstruction in the 1980s. It is ornate, in the spirit of geometric Art Nouveau or historicism, including the sculptural elements above the side door," added the city architect Jan Hrouda.
"We are aware of the value of the front part, which we want to preserve so as not to destroy it further. That is why we have recently reconstructed the roof to prevent further water leakage. At the same time, we will be looking at the future use of the building. This also applies to the land behind the cinema. We are working with several options - from a new modern extension of the multifunctional hall to a house for the elderly or a smaller apartment building. Or a combination of both. But that is for another discussion," says Jan Šimek.
The demolition itself should take place in the coming months. The city selected PB SCOM s.r.o. in a tender procedure and is now about to sign the contract. Some residents of the town welcome the news of the necessary demolition with mixed feelings and want to prevent it. They have therefore filed a petition with the Ministry of Culture to have the building declared a cultural monument. "The town has been informed these days by the Ministry of Culture, which is conducting the procedure for declaring the building a cultural monument, that a petition has been filed to declare the building in its possession a cultural monument. We will now comment on the proposal and provide all information on the current technical condition of the building and the planned demolition of part of the building, which we will of course document with all available documents. The further course of the procedure and its outcome will depend on the ministry," explained Mayor Jan Šimek.