#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. The City lake has a long history. Its very name has become a local legend. For example, according to historian Vyacheslav Blohin, in former times it was called Cozy.
Later, the townspeople often called the lake School, because there are three schools on its banks. But this is a mistake: the name Shkolnoye (eng.: School) belongs to a completely different lake – in the Old City, not far from which the first Norilsk school stood in the 1940s.
In former times Gorodskoye (eng.: City) lake was a point of attraction for residents. In summer, sailing races were held there, in winter – a hockey rink was arranged. In the new century, there were large-scale reconstruction plans: a fountain was installed there, it was planned to place lamps, benches and small architectural forms, pave walking paths with tiles, even a children’s cafe.
Today, the designers have returned to the idea of a cozy lake, calling the project Cozy City. And this idea began with a new inhabitant of the reservoir – a duck that settled on the lake last summer and hatched ducklings.
As director of the Norilsk Development Agency (NDA) Maxim Mironov said at the presentation of the concept, it was the duck family that became the starting point for plans to transform the place:
“We saw the struggle of a duck for survival – there is no food in the lake, dogs are walking around, machinery is working. People fed her, and it became clear that the bird needed a settled place. Probably, this was the starting point for the update: in July, a cleaning was held here, in which many agreed to participate.
For the first time in history, not only the lake surface was cleaned, but also its bottom. And then we thought about how to organize leisure by the lake. And so the current project was born”.
Students and schoolchildren were very actively involved in it, coming up with their own projects for the lake improvement.
Work on the Gorodskoye lake transformation began last year, the NDA noted, and participation in the all-Russian competition only adds drive, since if it wins, the city will receive over 100 million rubles to implement its idea.
Norilsk for the first time participates in the All-Russian grant competition for projects aimed at creating multifunctional recreation areas in small towns of the country. The NDA and the mayor’s office are counting on federal money, but they note that in case of failure, the project will still be implemented.
“We also want to help the duck family in the hope that they will return to last year’s habitat. On the shallow part of the lake we will fill out an island and assemble a house. We hope this will help the ducks to settle on the Gorodskoye lake like at home”, said Maxim Mironov.
Gorodskoye will retain two familiar tracks – a sports track 470 meters long, on which they want to lay a ski track in winter, and a walking track.
The project authors wanted to make the place convenient for different categories of residents and took into account a workout zone, as well as a children’s playground, next to which they will arrange the Bird Market art object, and an extreme sports zone (pump track) for skateboards, roller skates and scooters fans. A little further on, a contemplative zone will appear, where you can relax on a heated bench. A pontoon pier with a wake park will descend to the water. It will be possible to go out on the water on a catamaran and SUPs.
It will be possible to warm up after street activities in the covered pavilion. One of its outer walls will be a climbing wall. And inside the two-story building there will be a rental office, a locker room and a place to store sports equipment, several toilets, vending machines with drinks and food. You can have a bite on the second floor at the long counter, looking at the lake through the panoramic windows.
The stairs is supposed to be made into a greenhouse. Citizens will be able to equip it themselves, bringing plants in tubs. On the second floor there will also be a rack with an exchange fund of books, next to it there will be a children’s play space, decorative pouffes and other furniture elements that will allow transforming the space into a mini lecture hall.
Hammocks will be set up inside the pavilion, a canopy and a tennis table will be placed beside it.
The lighting system of the territory was planned taking into account special effects. There will be suspended illumination, stroboscopic installations on the pavilion roof, and special lighting for art objects. Large landscaping of the area around the lake – this is 1500 square meters – will be carried out according to a separate program.
In winter, it will be possible to skate on the lake ice and warm up on heated benches.
Now Gorodskoye lake is waiting for the results of the all-Russian competition – they will be announced in September. But the territory should be maintained in a decent form right now, experts note and invite the townspeople to a general cleaning, which is scheduled for July 25th.
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Text: Maria Sokolova, Photos: Nikolay Shchipko, Denis Kozhevnikov and the Red Business project team (sketches)
