Jiří Michálek Modest Co-Author of Phenomenon DOV

REGION bylo nereálné. Museli jsme žádat o evropské dotace a národní granty na záchranu kulturních památek. Z ministerstva kultury se nám podařilo získat zhruba 500 milionů korun na revitalizaci zmíněných tří objektů. Pak jsme začali rozvíjet záměr science centra, tedy Velkého světa techniky. A zase podávali žádosti o dotace. Stejně tak na areál Hlubiny nebo na některé věci na Landeku. Když se ohlédnete a uvědomíte si, že jste se na tom všem podílel, musí to být velice dobrý pocit. Hezký pocit to je, to přiznávám. Byl jsem opravdu u všeho. Při uzavírání provozu vysokých pecí, u problémů, které s tím byly spojeny. Následně při prvních plánech památkářů i u příchodu Jana Světlíka jako nového majitele do Vítkovic, u diskusí, jak DOV oživit, u debat s architektem Josefem Pleskotem… Když si uvědomím, že v roce 1998 do Dolních Vítkovic chodilo s nadsázkou asi tak sedm až deset návštěvníků ročně a dnes se návštěvnost pohybuje okolo 1,7 milionu lidí, je to obrovský rozdíl. A velmi příjemný pocit, že jsme zachovali něco, co za to stojí. Děkuji za rozhovor. Eva Kijonková Jiří Michálek Modest Co-Author of Phenomenon DOV In 1998, after 170 years of continuous iron production, the Blast Furnace in Vítkovice finally shut down; all of Ostrava was relieved. The centre of the city was cleared of heavy production. At the same time, a new issue arose: what would be the future of the large industrial premises? In 2002, the facility known as Lower Area Vítkovice (Dolní oblast Vítkovice, DOV) was certified a National Heritage Sight. Without the efforts of Common-Interest Association DOV (Spolek Dolní oblast Vítkovice, DOV), it would have become only a lock-down rusty relic of the past. The DOV as we know it now was from the very beginning facilitated also by Jiří Michálek, the Chair of the Bureau of the association, and a recent winner of the Personality of the Year of the Moravian-Silesian Region award. When and how was the idea of the “living DOV” designed, and why was it impossible to leave the area alone? The idea came with privatisation of the Vítkovice company in 2003, as the new owner, Mr Jan Světlík and his company, had to respond to a few issues in the bid, the future of DOV including. Mr Světlík then came up with the idea of preserving the area though he did not agree with the idea of some conservationists to actually preserve everything as it was, following the socalled “last day at work method”, i.e. as the work stations looked when the last worker had left the site. So we set out on international trips to draw inspiration and ideas so that we might do it even better than planners of premises similar to ours. First, we needed an agreement with conservationists. We needed to tear down the constructions not listed as Heritage and get the room necessary to bring life to the area. Our priorities included the High Furnace #1, the present Bolt Tower, the former gasholder (presently Gong Hall), and the former VIth Energy Central Office (presently U6 Science and Technology Centre - Malý svět techniky U6). Where did you get money? Did it come from the profits of Vítkovice company? No way. Vítkovice could not pay for DOV. Many people in the company might have thought that but it would not have been feasible. We needed European grants and national funds to help preserve the National Heritage. A 500 million CZK subsidy from the Ministry of Culture supported the renewal of the three aforementioned facilities. Then we came up with the idea of the Science and Technology Centre (Velký svět techniky), and needed more grants. The same for the premises of Hlubina, and some projects in Landek. Looking back and seeing all that you have been part of must be a highly rewarding feeling. I admit it feels very nice. I was engaged in each of the projects. Closing the high furnace operation, problems with shutting down production. The first plans by conservationists, the arrival of Mr Světlík as the new owner of Vítkovice, discussions on how to make the best use of DOV, conversations planning with the architect Josef Pleskot. Just the comparison of the 7-10 visitors we had in DOV in 1998 and the current numbers of visitors reaching up to 1.7 million annually, well, what a difference. And what a fantastic feeling that we succeeded in preserving something definitely worth the efforts. Thank you for the interview. Eva Kijonková POSITIV 3/2019 ǀ 69