D. Kalinkin: “This year there were big costs for city parks, but the results are worth it”

In 2019, the landscaping will be completed near the Family Center “Kazan”, a public garden on Absalyamov Street and the embankment of the Kaban Lake.

(KZN.RU, November 26, Ksenia Shvetsova). This year, 8 public spaces have been landscaped in Kazan; more than a billion rubles were allocated for these purposes. A program of improvement for the next year is being developed today. Igor Kulyazhev, the deputy chairman of the Executive Committee and the chairman of the Committee on External Improvement, spoke about the results of the work on the improvement of public spaces.

I. Kulyazhev reminded that this year, a record amount was allocated under the federal priority project “Formation of a Comfortable Urban Environment” of Kazan, 1 billion 258 million rubles. For comparison, 763 million rubles were allocated for these purposes last year, and in 2016 and 2015 – 300 million rubles each from the budget. The list of works on all objects includes landscaping with the installation of an automatic irrigation system, construction of children's and sports grounds, installation of pedestrian and bicycle paths, lighting systems, video surveillance, wireless Internet access, installation of public toilets, benches, urns, and other objects.

With these funds, 8 public spaces were landscaped in Kazan. Thus, the third phase of improvement of the Gorkinsko-Ometievsky forest allowed creating a convenient navigation network, including sports tracks, creating an all-season slide with game elements and a playground for games. “All these wishes were received during the discussion with the residents”, marked I.Kulyazhev. He added that, ecological paths of about 2 km with signs with information about the flora and animals living on this territory were arranged in the Ometievo part.

The landscaping of the HoC Lenin area has been completed in the park “Krylya Sovetov”. It includes an amphitheater for 140 spectators for outdoor events, a flower bed with a circular bench 50 meters long.

Also, new walking areas were created in Kazan, including the Fans Festival, built to the World Cup on the section from Kozya Sloboda metro station to S. Khakim Street. Rabochaya Street,which had become a pedestrian one and entered the borders of this square. This is the fifth pedestrian street in the city. The renewed territory at the Family Center “Kazan” will become a platform for the main Christmas tree this year.

A reconstructed boulevard on Fuchik Street from the bus-stop “School №125” on to Pobedy Prospect was a pleasant gift for the citizens as well. Also, an updated boulevard “Belye Tsvety” along Absalyamov Street appeared in Kazan. The grand opening of the first line of the boulevard in the area from Yamashev Prospect to Chetaev Street was held on November 10. The park “Komsomolets” on Karbyshev Street with a children's area, a sports ground, a large swing, viewing areas, and covered gazebos have been equipped.

One of the largest and most important improvement projects was the reconstruction of the embankment of the Kaban Lake. The first phase of work took place on the site from the Kamal Theater to the “Planet Fitness”. After the completion of the first stage of reconstruction, citizens could see comfortable walking areas, benches, flowers, decorative lighting and unusual plants.

Next year, the lake embankment will be one of the priority improvement projects.

“The project is very difficult, the first stage has been implemented for 3 years”, said the speaker. “The work on the construction of wastewater treatment plants will continue, the improvement of the lake itself involves water purification. Those cascades that have already been built, imply not only the visual effect, but also the sewage treatment. Today we want to make a pedestrian connection around the lake that can be walked around”.

The comfort of the urban environment is directly related to the well-being of people, noted Denis Kalinkin, the head of the Executive Committee. “It was obvious through the example of the Kaban embankment this summer: once an absolutely deserted shore was filled with citizens and guests of the capital. This year there were high costs for city parks, but the results are worth it”, marked D. Kalinkin. He also added that this year the situation radically changed on Karbyshev Street in the park “Komsomolets”, and the new boulevard “Belye Tsvety” has been equipped. Kazan took another step towards a single recreational zone from the Pobedy Park to the Kazanka River.

According to I. Kulyazhev, the improvement program for the next year is already underway. First of all, it is planned to complete work on the objects that have begun to refine this year. For example, the reconstruction of the park on Absalyamov Street, the embankment of the Kaban Lake, the territory in front near the Family Center “Kazan”.

The remaining works will depend on the allocated funding for public areas of Kazan.

“Now we inventory those parks that have appeared in recent years, we enter the corresponding numbers in order to get budget financing. There is not enough money for the maintenance of parks, a lot of small architectural forms require maintenance. Many plants require more thorough care”, the speaker explained. He added that today 80 million rubles a year are allocated for the maintenance of 134 parks and squares in Kazan. “This is about 6 thousand per one park, it is not enough. Each park requires individual care”, he noted.

Additional funding for the maintenance of parks allows getting cooperation with private organizations. Thus, the Directorate of Parks and Squares has been working in Kazan for the last 2 years. It organizes events in public spaces and also rents equipment and premises in parks, due to which additional funds appear to improve and maintain parks and squares. “For now, the work is at the very beginning, but we strive to ensure that the parks will pay for themselves, at least partially. Commercial organizations can use the parks' infrastructure for themselves, for holding events”, said I. Kulyazhev. He marked that this is not about charitable organizations that regularly conduct various actions and activities in public spaces for free.

“Now the next task is to fix the maintenance of the parks, we will find the solution”, concluded D. Kalinkin.