A central football pitch, athletics facilities, beach volleyball courts, tennis courts, an artificial turf football pitch and another multi-purpose training area: over the past year and a half, the sports complex of the Faculty of Education of the University of South Bohemia on Na Sádkách Street has been completely transformed. The new facilities will mainly be used by students of the University of South Bohemia, but they will also be available to schools and clubs in České Budějovice.
"Supporting sport has long been one of the priorities of the University of South Bohemia. The new complex is a major step forward and one of the most modern in the South Bohemian Region. With this investment, our university has created conditions for students and athletes that reflect how much we value physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. We have also long worked to create an environment where elite sport can be combined with university studies. Many of our students represent the Czech Republic, and the new complex will offer them, and everyone else, the facilities they deserve," says Pavel Kozák, Rector of the University of South Bohemia, on the opening of the new sports facilities.
The original complex was built in the 1950s and officially opened on 25 September 1955. It was first a speedway stadium with a reported capacity of up to 30,000 spectators. The athletics track was added later, and an athletics oval built on its foundations remained in use until the recent complete reconstruction.
The reconstruction of the sports complex is the largest investment the University of South Bohemia has completed this year. The new facilities cost CZK 125 million and were funded with support from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. The contractor, OHLA ŽS a.s., started work at the end of 2024 and finished the complex at the beginning of this summer.
"I am very pleased that our students can begin the new semester in a modern, fully equipped stadium. The Faculty of Education had been waiting a long time for this very important investment. The new sports facilities and their modern amenities will be available not only to future PE teachers and other students of the University of South Bohemia, but also to other schools, clubs and sports teams that work with children and young people," adds Petr Dvořák, Dean of the Faculty of Education.
The reconstruction also included new planting. Old and unstable trees were replaced with 72 new trees and shrubs. A new borehole was also drilled to supply non-potable water for irrigation.
A new boathouse building was built in the complex to house technical facilities and store sports equipment. Building K6 was also renovated at the same time. It now offers barrier-free access to changing rooms, showers and toilets for people with limited mobility or visual impairments.
