Top class accommodation for athletes and journalists
13. 02 2009 09:30:00
The Championships are approaching fast and so I set out on a tour of places of accommodation to find out where athletes and journalists will be staying. Athletes and their service teams will be accommodated in entirely renovated Halls of residence in Harcov which belong to the Liberec Technical University. Accredited journalists from around the world will be accommodated in tenement houses which have been provided by the Statutory City of Liberec for the duration of the Championships.
First stop: Accommodation for athletes
Passing a security guard who I have to show my accreditation to I reach the closed and highly guarded area of the University Halls of residence Harcov. Around 900 people will be accommodated here in six blocks – athletes, their service teams and attaches. Attaches are volunteers with knowledge of languages who will help athletes to solve their every day issues so that they could “feel at home” here. In the Halls of residence there is also an accreditation place and a hall where possible press conferences can take place. Of course, the student cafeteria will provide dining services and there is also a place for training and relaxation which will be provided in sport hall of the Liberec Technical University. “Already now athletes are reserving the fitness centre or sauna for their training”, says my guide Rene Hoffman who is in charge of accommodation in Harcov.
Accommodation in the Halls of residence is provided in so-called units (apartments): in one unit there are 2 or 3 separate bedrooms, joint kitchenette, bathroom with a shower and a basin, and separate WC. In the antechamber there are floor-to-ceiling wardrobes, so there is plenty of storage space for the athletes that will be accommodated here. All rooms have been equipped with internet access points, TV with a set-top-box so links with the whole world are ensured. Corridors and halls look almost cosy and this is also thanks to flowers and a comfortable sofa at the reception. As you can see at the website photo gallery, the accommodation is really nice and the Championships deserve it.
I can´t fancy my life without food so after inspecting the rooms I look forward to seeing the student cafeteria. From the corridor I could smell a pleasant scent of chicken rolls and a smiling kitchen attendant was waving her hand at me from the counter. Sun was shining through large windows and a combination of glass, metal, wood and flowers created a truly nice atmosphere to enjoy a good lunch. I wished I could be an athlete!
“One of most significant legacies of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec in addition to top level sporting infrastructure, is the upgrading of the university campus for the students”, these are the words of Sarah Lewis, FIS General Secretary which I can only confirm.
Second stop: Apartments for journalists
All accredited journalists will be accommodated in Zelene udoli (Green Valley) in six tenement houses which are completely new and were approved in December last year. The houses were provided to the Organizing Committee by the City of Liberec and will be handed over to needy citizens as social housing after the Championships.
I head for the house marked with a big letter F, where the central reception is situated. The glass sliding door opens in front of me and I come to stand face to face with two paper lions, mascots of the Championships. At the reception I am looked after by Pavel Tippl, a nice man and the boss of the place. First he showers me with numbers: there are altogether 254 apartments of different size in six houses which will take a total of 450 journalists. The biggest house, marked with a letter A, with 61 apartments will provide accommodation for the Czech TV crew.
We set out on a tour of this house which still smells of freshness. Broad and light corridors, easy access to individual apartments, large lift and dining hall with 113 places on the ground floor of Building F where journalists are to be served breakfast tell us that this house will serve as a nursing home in the future. Apartments with one, two or three bedrooms are light and spacious; each apartment has its own balcony. Long dark brown curtains match the furniture and light floating floor. From floors higher up there are marvellous views of the Jested Hill on one side and wooded hills on the other. I like this place very much and I do hope that journalist will like it too.
(mh; transl. mc)
Offer of available accommodation capacities for World Cups in Liberec
According to announcement of official touroperator for FIS WSC Liberec 2009 - travel agency IBTravel - there is still sufficient number of accommodation capacities in the date of FIS World Cup Ski jumping event (February 7th - 9th) and FIS World Cups Nordic Combined and Cross Country skiing...
Update on accommodation during FIS WSC Liberec 2009
The official partner of the Organizing Committee- IBT travel – providing accommodation for the WSC Liberec 2009 has announced that accredited participants come to view booked hotels. Coming guests specify their requirements and complete their comments related to equipment such as Zones of interiors for single teams, TV staff, sponsors and other accredited people. The net of hotels includes above all the dormitories of Technical University Liberec that will provide 3 star standards after having been reconstructed; further more there are apartments in Zelene Udoli, hotels in Liberec, Jablonec and other cities, including Prague. The selection of capacities proceeds in successive steps according to each partner’s requirements.
