The Silesian Metropolis Still Growing and Innovating

REGION Opavsko The Silesian Metropolis Still Growing and Innovating Reconstruction of the winter stadium. The construction of an aqua park. New apartment buildings. A multifunctional cultural hall. The statutory city of Opava has not been idle. What does it offer foreign investors and what else awaits it in the coming years? POSITIV Business & Style magazine conducted an interview with the mayor of Opava, Tomáš Navrátil. Mr Mayor, what is the role of the statutory city of Opava in the development of the Opava Region and the Moravian-Silesian Region? Essential. Apart from Ostrava, Opava is historically one of the most important centres. We are a catchment area for more than 100,000 inhabitants. Many companies, important institutions and schools are located here. Many people commute to Opava to study, work, shop or have fun. The prosperity of Opava thus also affects the prosperity of the region. What has the city been up to lately? This should be assessed in particular by citizens. But if you ask me, the city has finally started to deal with age-old and, above all, long-unsolved problems. In my 68 ǀ POSITIV 4/2021 opinion, the basis of everything is the fact that we sat down at the very beginning, put together project expert teams and started to solve problems such as housing, parking, transport, the use of historic buildings that are falling into disrepair and leisure time comprehensively. Thanks to this, we are now building a parking garage at the Eastern Railway Station, preparing a new residential area for the construction of family houses full of greenery, and developing the Stromovka public space for living in the former Dukel barracks where 300 new flats will be built. We are participating in the reconstruction of the Western Railway Station and in the construction of the western part of the northern bypass of the city. I am very pleased that we have managed to build dozens of quality apartments for the elderly and we will soon