Ilsur Metshin: “144 school canteens in Kazan have been transformed thanks to comprehensive modernization”

In the new school year, 144 school restaurants will operate at Kazan educational institutions – 78% of the total number of canteens. This summer, work is underway in 31 canteens of 30 educational institutions. The Mayor of the city Ilsur Metshin inspected the renovation of the canteen at school No. 170 in the Novo-Savinovsky district of Kazan today.

“Thanks to the modernization of school canteens since 2019, we have increased the number of seats by 7,170 due to the growing number of students, - the head of the city noted. - In four years, the idea of school restaurants has caught on. It is not only a place for taking food, but also a place for meetings and spending leisure time.”

The overhaul of the food hall at school No.170 started in June, it demanded the replacement of the ventilation, sewerage, power supply systems, as well as equipment. As of today, the work has been completed by 70%, and it is planned to complete them until mid-August. The constructors have already dismantled the old wall cladding and floor screed, replaced utilities, set partitions. In addition, the most important stage of work has been completed – the expansion of the canteen by moving the handwashers and the distribution line.

Marina Dergunova, director of the school, noted that 82% of students are provided with hot meals. The canteen was designed for 832 school students, but their number is increasing every year. “Now there are 1,394 students, so the canteen has no enough space”, - M.Dergunova said. After the reconstruction of the food hall, the capacity will increase by 44 seats.

The interior of the school restaurant will be made according to a standard design project in olive color, Rima Mukhamedshina, director of the Department of Food and Social Nutrition of Kazan, told the Mayor. The walls will be decorated with a wooden style tile, which will create a cozy atmosphere, she added. “In every school restaurant project, we see some innovative design. It is good that the design of the canteens is improving,” - I. Metshin said.

After the renovation is completed, the dining room will be equipped with furniture, decorative elements and educational posters, as well as new dishes and necessary equipment. “All the equipment for the kitchen was purchased from domestic manufacturers, so there were no problems with supplies”, - said the director of the Department of Food and Social Nutrition of Kazan.

The concept of healthy nutrition for schoolchildren will remain in the new school restaurant, Rima Mukhamedshina noted. “Thanks to the baby boom, Kazan is growing with school students every year. In 4 years, we expect about 200 thousand students in schools. It is important that schoolchildren not only gain new knowledge, but also improve their health, including due healthy nutrition”, - Ilsur Metshin said.

For four years, from 2019 to 2022, 1.1 billion rubles were allocated to the modernization of food units in Kazan schools from the republican and municipal budgets, as well as at the expense of the Department of Food and Social Nutrition. During the renovation, the power and water supply, sewerage and ventilation systems are replaced. Technological, refrigerating equipment, furniture, inventory and dishes are being updated in school canteens.