Novopolotsk has accumulated unique experience in implementing local initiatives for the improvement of courtyard areas
Novopolotsk has accumulated unique experience in implementing local initiatives for the improvement of courtyard areas. A field meeting of the presidium of the regional council of deputies was dedicated to its study and generalization.
"In the Vitebsk region," said Alexander Atyasov, Chairman of the Regional Council, opening the meeting, "a great deal of work has been done to put things in order on the land. Guests visiting from abroad note the well-kept appearance of our settlements. But if at first the primary objects of effort were central streets and squares, now we need to go further, into the depths of courtyard areas. Creating recreation areas, sports and children's playgrounds there."
Every Thursday is Clean
In Novopolotsk, as emphasized by the mayor of the city, Dmitry Demidov, in his speech, great attention is paid to landscaping issues. In 2015, about 60 billion rubles were allocated from the city budget for major and current repairs, thermal modernization of the housing stock, courtyard areas, and driveways. More than 300 units of children's play equipment and about 70 small architectural forms were installed, about 2 thousand square meters of sidewalks and driveways along residential buildings were repaired, and asphalt pavement was laid in 103 courtyard areas.
The economy of the oil city is currently maintaining a positive development dynamic, but unfortunately, budget funds are insufficient to solve all problems. Therefore, economic entities and citizens actively participate in the events. For example, enterprises such as "Novopolotskvodokanal," "Polotskgaz," "LYUAL," and "Liner" installed small architectural forms on playgrounds in courtyards using their own resources, and KUP ZhREO installed a sports and play complex.
In April and October, months dedicated to cleaning up territories, public recreation areas, and water protection zones are held in Novopolotsk. In May of this year, the "Clean Forest" campaign took place, and in March and August, city-wide clean-up days were held. The funds earned from these events were used to repair over 4,000 sq. m of asphalt pavement near the fountain by the music school and pedestrian paths in the square near Secondary School No. 4.
Every Thursday, the city observes a unified sanitary day. Compliance with this is checked during raids, the results of which are reviewed at executive committee meetings with the involvement of relevant parties. The city-wide review and competition among enterprises and organizations for the best landscaping and greening has become a tradition.
Deputy Initiatives
At the initiative and with the personal support of Deputy Alexey Larin, director of "Novopolotskvodokanal," new children's playgrounds were installed in four courtyard areas. Oleg Zhebin, director of the "Polimir" plant, personally took an active part in organizing the collection of funds for charitable events, and Nikolay Pilimon, head of OAO "PSK-1," organizes this work among entrepreneurs.
The Council of Deputies ensures the coordinated activities of territorial public self-government bodies, which, as emphasized at the meeting, do not just exist on paper but actively participate in improving their living areas. In addition, the youth parliament, whose activities were reported on at the meeting by its chairman Gleb Nesterenok, is actively coming up with interesting initiatives.
Creating Beauty and Comfort Themselves
There are 8 microdistrict councils operating in Novopolotsk, which include 409 house committees, and 696 entrance seniors have been elected. In total, this is over a thousand public activists – caring people who inspire their neighbors to do good deeds.
Among them is Galina Gromyko, the chairperson of microdistrict council No. 8, who spoke at the meeting. The courtyard of the building where she lives (Vasilevtsy Street, 1) has repeatedly won the city competition for the best landscaping. Not only do flowers bloom in the flowerbeds, but a small ecosystem has also been created in the form of a pond with live fish. Using their own funds (monthly donations of 30,000 rubles), the residents have equipped a sidewalk with curbs, installed a beautiful designer fence, and shown creativity in arranging every corner of the territory. They have also created coziness in the entrances, where curtains hang on the windows and the walls are painted.
“It is natural for a person to tidy up the place where they live,” says Galina Vladimirovna, recalling the famous quote from Exupéry’s novella “The Little Prince”: “You wake up in the morning – clean up your planet.”
Participants of the field meeting saw eloquent examples of this approach during their visit to the facilities of the oil city. They visited the city square, the sports ground of SDYUSSHOR No. 2, exemplary courtyards on Shkolnaya and Molodezhnaya streets, and learned about the landscaping prospects of the territories of JSC Polotsktransneft Druzhba and the progress of construction of a nursery-kindergarten-primary school in the eighth microdistrict. To commission this unique facility by September 1, 2016, the region’s assistance is needed, and it was promised during the visit.
Overall, the members of the presidium highly praised the work done in Novopolotsk and recommended the experience for dissemination in other regions of Vitebsk Oblast.
Larisa Malashenya. Photos by the author and Anton Stepanishchev, "Vitebskiye vesti".