Ilsur Metshin: «This project units us all»

"Strategy of development of the Kazanka river" was presented today in the capital of Tatarstan. Kazan mayor Ilsur Metshin, Tatarstan President's aide Natalia Fishman-Bekmambetova, as well as the founders of the Russian-French architectural bureau Orchestra, which is developing the strategy, spoke about the project at the World urban Parks Congress.

12 new embankment parks will be developed on the territory of 2.1 thousand hectares

The working-out of the "Strategy of development of the Kazanka river" was launched on the initiative the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. The project covers an area of more than 3 thousand hectares: the water files and coastal areas of Kazanka from the historical river bed and Zilantov monastery to the Blue lakes. "Our city has great resources, which are not given to every city in the world. Today we want to reach a new level of improvement and development of the ecosystem of both the river and the whole city", - Ilsur Metshin said.

The strategy provides for the creation of 12 new embankment parks on 2.1 thousand hectares, which will be connected to each other, but at the same time have their own features, - Ekaterina Goldberg, one of the founders of the architectural bureau Orchestra, told about the project.

«This project units us all»

The creators of the strategy emphasize the importance of organizing a productive dialogue with citizens. For this purpose, an unprecedented campaign is launched in Kazan for the whole country to involve citizens in the development of public spaces.

N.Fishman-Bekmambetova said that anyone can share their ideas at the project portal, as well as get acquainted with the strategy and the results of the study.

On November 8, a large-scale educational program "Dialogues about the river" will start in the center of modern culture "Smena". According to the aide to the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, there will be regular open lectures, various discussions for activists and concerned citizens.

"There is not a single citizen of Kazan, who would not be correlated with Kazanka, so it is impossible to treat it with indifference. We will be very attentive to all wishes", - I.Metshin said, urging Kazan residents to join the discussion of the strategy.

«We are short of time to learn from our mistakes»

Ilsur Metshin is confident that the work with the architectural bureau Orchestra within this project will help Kazan to make a further progress in the field of public spaces improvement. "We are short of time to learn from our mistakes. Thanks to the fact that we adopt best practices, we are stepping out. It is desirable to involve the best Russian and world practices in solving any issue. At the same time to teach and raise our own professionals", - stressed the mayor of Kazan.

The authors of the project plan to develop a strategy by the end of the year.

"Strategy of development of the Kazanka river" will be implemented by the Ministry of construction, architecture and housing of Tatarstan and Orchestra bureau under the supervision of aide to the President of Tatarstan Natalia Fishman-Bekmambetova and with the participation of Kazan mayor's office.