In the following months, the second phase of the revitalisation of Marie Restituta Park in Husovice will begin, with work scheduled to be completed in April 2025.
The first part of the work involved the removal of unsuitable encroaching trees, the planting of new trees, the regeneration of the lawn, and the implementation of road improvements with the construction of a viewing terrace.
The next stage will see a focus on the sidewalks, which, due to the slope of the hill, must follow a new route in order to meet current standards. There will also be the construction of a new memorial to those who died during the World Wars. The total cost of this stage is estimated at CZK 13 million, and will be financed by the Brno-North Municipality, with the support of the City of Brno and the cooperation of Technical Networks Brno a.s.
The Eva Wágnerová architect studio is working on the preparation of the project.
“The current form of the park no longer met modern requirements,” said Martin Glogar, deputy mayor of Brno-North. “That is why we decided in the past to revitalise the entire park. A few years ago we modified the upper part of the park, now we intend to revitalise the pivotal central part.”
Following modern standards of open accessibility, the new sidewalks will be designed to be safe for wheelchair users and parents with strollers, and new wooden sidewalks will be introduced to connect some previously unconnected places. “We will also improve the greenery and build a monument to the Freedom Fighters. High-quality urban furniture is also something we focused on,” explained Glogar.
A new statue of Maria Restituta, who the park is named after, was expected to be placed this month, but will instead be unveiled next year when the park restoration is finished. “Since it would have had to be fenced in the summer after the unveiling, we agreed with the sculptor to postpone the unveiling until April next year,” added Glogar.
The park opened in 1983 on the former site of the Husovice cemetery, later Tišnov railway. It adopted its current name in 1999, to honour the memory of Helena Kafková, who was born in Husovice and became a nun in Austria with the name Marie Restituta. She was persecuted and killed during the Nazi occupation for questioning the regime, and was later declared blessed by Pope John Paul II in 1990 because of her proof of faith, standing for the weak.
The last part of the park will remain unfinished. Further improvements are already planned: in addition to renewed greenery, a new children’s playground, a water feature and a social space for cultural events should be created.
