Development work worth over two billion forints is being prepared at two educational institutions in Kaposvár

The development of two institutions in Kaposvár is set to be completed with a total of approximately 2.05 billion forints in European Union funding: 650 million forints for the Kodály Zoltán Központi Általános Iskola renovation will receive 650 million, whilst Petőfi Sándor Központi Óvoda modernisation and expansion of the Petőfi Sándor Központi Óvoda, according to information from the city council.

The history of the institution dates back to Kaposvár’s first primary school

The building housing Kodály Zoltán Központi Általános Iskola in Kaposvár, situated on the corner of Fő and Anna Streets, was built in 1904. The institution’s predecessor was Kaposvár’s first primary school, established in 1715 next to the hedge church, where a single teacher taught the children in a single classroom.
The town is now preparing to renovate the school building, which is a listed building. Around five hundred children attend the Kodály School, the majority of whom receive advanced music education.
According to the plans, one of the key elements of the renovation will be the replacement of the external doors and windows. The new, thermally insulated units will be fitted in a design identical to the existing ones, in accordance with the requirements of the local heritage protection regulations. The work will affect all the façades of both the old and new sections of the building, as well as the street-facing façade of the kitchen and dining wing.

The floor and wall coverings in the interior spaces are being refurbished

The skylight in the main hall will be fitted with heat-reflective film, and the building’s lighting will be modernised. New PVC flooring will be laid in the classrooms of the old wing, whilst the tiled floors will be repaired and replenished where necessary. The surfaces of the stone staircases will be refurbished, and anti-slip tape will be fitted to the edges of the tiled steps.

A route providing barrier-free access to the school is being constructed

Access to the school without barriers is provided from Iskola köz. A section of the fence is being replaced, and a pedestrian gate—which can be opened via an intercom from the reception—is being installed. From the accessible car park in the courtyard, a paving-stone path, interrupted by a rest area, and a concrete ramp lead to the refurbished entrance. The ramp will be fitted with a three-row tubular handrail, whilst the route will feature tactile and high-contrast markings. An accessible toilet will also be created as part of the refurbishment of the ground-floor toilet facilities in the new wing.
In the development room in the basement, plaster repairs, skimming and painting will be carried out. In the courtyard, parking bays with grass pavers are being created, the sports ground is being resurfaced, and the green spaces are also being renewed.

The nursery’s gym is moving to a new wing

A key element of the Petőfi Sándor Központi Óvoda development is the new wing to be built on the south side. According to the plans, this will house the new gym, together with its changing rooms and equipment store. In the section connecting the nursery and the extension, a medical room, a speech and language therapy room and an accessible toilet will be fitted out.

The extension will also allow for the refurbishment of the existing wings of the building. By merging the offices next to the stairwells, four children’s changing rooms will be created: two on the ground floor and one on each of the upper floors. The offices relocated from this area, the staff lounge and the laundry room will be moved to the upper floor of the new wing, supplemented by a staff changing room and toilet facilities. The central administration offices will be housed by converting two unused group rooms on the upper floors.
The planned project elements include the modernisation of the nursery’s main kitchen, which also supplies other institutions in the town. Once modernised, the current capacity of 526 portions is set to increase to as many as 900 portions. Moving the gym to a new wing of the building will allow the kitchen to be accessed via a separate corridor.

The nursery is being modernised from the roof to the playground

As part of the energy efficiency works, the façade and roof will be insulated. The windows remaining on the south-facing side will be fitted with heat-reflective film, and mechanical cooling is planned for the affected rooms. The cast-iron radiators will be replaced with panel radiators, the electrical network and lighting will be upgraded, and a 25-kilowatt solar panel system is planned for the roof. The interior works will also include painting, replacing the flooring in the group rooms and modernising the adult toilets.
In the playground, in addition to the play areas, the sports ground and the nursery football pitch, the green spaces will also be tidied up. A new toy storage area, drinking fountains and misting systems will be provided for the children; the fence will be refurbished, the gates replaced, covered cycle shelters installed, and seven staff parking spaces created behind the kitchen.