Rustam Minnikhanov: “Parks and squares should be self-sufficient”

(KZN.RU, February 28, Zilya Gayfi). A lot of work on the improvement of green areas is held in Kazan. It is important to breathe life into the new public spaces of the city, said Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the RT, today at the reporting session of the Kazan City Duma in the City Hall. According to him, parks and public squares should be self-sufficient. The work of public places should be organized in such a way that they bring the income, which is necessary for their maintenance.

“There are 140 parks and squares in Kazan with a total area of 367 hectares. For today, 39 places of mass recreation of residents have been updated in the city, 15 new ones have been created. In total, 60 parks and squares have been improved in the capital of Tatarstan since 2013 and this work will be continued. Another 8 parks will be done in 2018”, said Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, presenting a report on the work done in the sphere of improvement of green areas.

Rustam Minnikhanov noted that it is important to preserve the centralization of powers to ensure order in the territories. He also urged the Directorate of parks and squares of Kazan to work on the functional content, to involve cultural public and sports organizations for this. The Directorate was created and selection of park managers responsible for the development and filling of specific spaces was conducted precisely for this purpose.

During the meeting, the deputies raised the issue of the lack of green zones in new micro-districts and the need to reserve territories for future green areas. According to deputy Marat Bikmullin, often new residential areas are built on the site of the existing green zones. The result is the cutting down of trees and the absence of recreation places in walking distance for the population in the future.

Ilsur Metshin noted that the city rejected t hotspot construction. In particular, special attention is paid to the issues of the arrangement of green zones in the development of a new general plan. The Mayor of Kazan said that the discussion of the city's main document will be held with the participation of the population and residents will be able to express their wishes for the arrangement of new public spaces.