Describe an area of the town you live in which you believe will change in the near future and explain in what ways it will be different.
Vejprty, one of the most run-down areas of the region, is located to the northwest of the region, close to the border between the Czech Republic and Germany. It used to be occupied by the mining industry, but the ore mine was closed down many years ago and most of Vejprty has lain derelict since then.
The general impression of the place is one of neglect and emptiness: broken glass, a few stray cats, rubbish blown by the wind. Most of the stone building have turned almost black over the years, giving them a sombre, and in some cases, quite forbidding appearance. This is especially the case at night when the streets are unlit and deserted.
The structures that most catch the eye are the big old industrial building with a long chimney made by bricks. These towering shapes are punctuated regularly with row upon row of tall windows and bricks. Being such huge, they would have been dwarfed the hundreds who once worked inside, but now they are empty and not even the old machinery left. The nearby houses, in contrast, are tiny dilapidated terraces, more or less the same.
Recently, however, the town council has released plans to clean up Vejprty, following the successful development of similar areas in cities such as Prague and Brno. The mines and industrial buildings will be transformed into airy open-plan apartments and galleries, while bar and restaurant owners will be encouraged to invest in the terraced houses along the canal. This transformation will undoubtedly draw an up-market crowd, as more and more people seem to be showing an interest in the area’s distinctive architectural and industrial past.
In addition to this, the council has also promised to revamp the canal and its tow-path in an attempt to help Vejprty shed its reputation for being a magnet for dangerous and shady characters. As a result, the area is bound to attract business and Vejprty will be able to develop a cleaner, safer and altogether more appealing image.
If the example of Prague’s riverfront properties are anything to go by, the redevelopment of Vejprty will certainly revitalise the area and ultimately enhance the image of the town as a whole.
This is a fiction.
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