In Kyiv, residents of Mykilska Slobidka, which is located near Rusanivka, have been protecting the Dnieper coast from construction for about 20 years in courts and on construction sites. They want to achieve the creation of a park on this territory, instead of concrete embankments and high-rise buildings.
Although in 2020 the Kyiv City Council voted to create the "Mykilska Slobidka" park, the park itself still does not exist, and the territory of the coast is still divided into many plots with different owners and intended for development, reports The Village.
The material said that community activists blocked the road to special construction equipment for years, set up barricades, defended themselves from aunties, picketed, planted trees and cleaned the territory with their own hands, and in the end, they themselves collected funds and ordered the park project from architects. They saved most of the shore from construction, but it turned out that the utility company "Pleso" claims a piece of the future park for parking special equipment and boats.
It is noted that in the densely built-up neighborhood, the only green area for walking and recreation remains the bank of the Dnipro strait, which offers a view of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the "Motherland" and the flagpole with the largest national flag of Ukraine. Currently, a residential complex "Rusanivska Gavan" is being built on Mykylska Slobidka, next to which a concrete embankment has already been built. Locals call it "pan", because there is not a single tree on it.
Activist Olena Medvedenko said that the community raised money for the design of a multifunctional park with a barbecue area, which also takes into account adaptation to climate change. In addition, the project does not provide for the dismantling of existing structures, but offers them a new purpose, for example:
- a children's playground protected from the wind at the pit site;
- skate park and sports grounds at the site of the foundations.
She emphasized that the park will also help to reduce the effects of seasonal flooding and fight traffic jams at the entrances and exits to Kyiv on weekends, because people will be able to rest in the city instead of leaving it.
Medvedenko said that although the Kyiv City Council's decision to create a park has been in effect for more than three years, the park itself still does not exist. The land on which they wanted to build the "Sonyacna Riviera" housing complex was taken away for debts by "Oschadbank". The Kyiv City Council decided to buy these plots for the creation of a park. However, the Ministry of Sports offered to build an arena for 15,000 spectators for the European Basketball Championship without indoor parking. Residents of the community opposed such construction.
She added that while some of the plots are still in private hands, the "Kyivzelenbud" cooperative could make a park on communal land. The department had to issue the right to use the land for the park and change the target purpose of the plots for recreation. However, the process stalled. It turned out that KP "Pleso" claims part of the shore. Next to the municipal beach there is an administrative building with parking for 40 boats and special equipment.
Local activists say that communal workers occupied the territory illegally, and oppose the loss of part of the park.
"This is almost half a hectare on the very bank of the Dnipro, in the very center of the future park. Why are there tractors and a sewage disposal plant on the bank of the Dnipro with a view of the Lavra, where people are supposed to walk?" Medvedenko said. "Pleso" is now starting to take more water objects on balance, that is, they will need even more machines, tractors. Therefore, we proposed to find another place to store the equipment – somewhere in the industrial zone, not in the recreation zone."
However, "Pleso" insists that the base should remain in this place – supposedly it is optimal from the point of view of distance from the water bodies that need to be serviced.
It is noted that negotiations on this issue between "Pleso", "Kyivzelenbud" and local residents are still ongoing. Residents of Mykylska Slobidka hope to convince officials to find another place for tractors and special vehicles.
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that construction of the OZON Concept House residential complex OZON Concept House, which involves the felling of 1,691 trees.
As EcoPolitic previously reported, the authorities of Kyiv are required to preserve Rusanivska Kosa from any development, to preserve it in its natural state and not to hinder its visit.
