On December 9, a business breakfast was held organized by the Almaty City Development Center on the theme: «Reconstruction of pedestrian streets in Almaty.» Guests of the meeting were Almaskhan Akhmetzhanov, the head of the architects' department and urban planning in Almaty, the deputy director of the British Council Rowan Kennedy, the head of the Urbanism Center, Natalia Livinskaya, as well as representatives who responded to the invitation.
Recall that in 2018 it is planned to reconstruct the following streets:
1. Abay avenue (from Dostyk to The Yesentai River),
2. Zheltoksan (between Abay Avenue and Satpayev Street)
3. Abylay Khan Avenue (from Almaty Railway Station 2 to Abay Ave.)
4. Ayteke bi (from Nauryzbay Batyr to Kunaev Street)
5. Dostyk Avenue (from Kazybek Bi Street, Abay Ave.)
6. Jambyl street (from Dostyk Ave. to Nauryzbay Batyr Street)
7. Tole Bi street (from Kaldayakova Street to Yesentai River)
8. Mendikulova Boulevard (from Al-Farabi Ave. on Mukana Street)
9. Furmanova street (from Raiymbek, Abay ave)
10. Bogenbay Batyr street (from Almatinka river to Nauryzbay Batyr street)
11. Kunayev street (from Raiymbek ave, Abay ave)
12. Kazybek bi (from Dostyk Ave to Nauryzbay Batyr Street)
13. Yesentai River Embankment (from Abaya Ave to Tole Bi street)
14. Gogol street (from Kaldayakova Street to Central Park of Culture and Recreation)
15. the embankment of the River M. Almaty (from the Palace of the Republic to Gogol Street)
16. Jibek Joly street (from Zheltoksan Street, Seyfullin Ave.)
17. Baiseitova street (from Kabanbay Batyr, to Tole Bi Street)
In her speech, Natalia Livinskaya, head of the Center for Urban Development at the Almaty City Development Center, noted the importance of creating a dialogue between different groups of the public and collecting proposals for the development of projects in the field of upcoming street reconstructions in Almaty.
«Public spaces are formed to allow people to walk there, not for cars. Park areas, alleys, maximum of greenery and trees. For example, there is a head aryk on Abay avenue, our miracle, which no one notices. It is the center of attraction of the population that can be made of it. There is an example in Seoul. There in general instead of the route was a small river, they gave the opportunity to the river to appear and made a public space, which well became a center of tourism. All potential designers were given the task to make everything comfortable in these places, so that the person felt at home there. We are waiting for proposals for the formation of new sites where small architectural forms can be placed,» Almaskhan Akhmetzhanov, deputy head of the architects' department and urban planning in Almaty, said in a statement.
During the meeting, various questions were asked, including the involvement of citizens and business representatives in the reconstruction process. It is worth noting that when determining the appearance of pedestrian streets of the city, at the design stage it is planned to involve representatives of business whose interests are affected by reconstruction, to make wishes and recommendations.
Small architectural forms, sculptures and art objects are planned to be chosen and discussed with residents.
Thus, the citizens were interested in what exactly would appear on these streets, and how the issue of parking will be solved.
«There are no plans to change radical changes like with Panfilov Street. However, each street will have its own unique memorable architecture and attractiveness. In turn, the structure of the new streets will allow to accommodate both traffic and pedestrian zone. On all streets we will keep parking spaces, but reduce their number, arrange paid parking. The basic idea is to reduce the number of cars in the city center, but we are considering the possibility of building large intercepting parking lots for 600 or more places. We want to create public spaces for people and we want business to be the object of attracting people to these places,» Almaskhan Akhmetzhanov said.
The issue of installing public toilets was also discussed. The project will install toilets and in the future they will be installed.
No less citizens were interested in the situation with the terrace facing the pavement and whether its reconstruction will affect? «It will depend on the specific project. Now we are developing the design code of the architectural environment of the city, where all the components of the arrangement of streets and facades will be regulated. They will be published in 2018 and will be in the public domain, where everyone will be able to see their building and what it should have windows, balconies, elements. Every house should have its own passport,» Akhmetzhanov concluded.
The meeting was facilitated by the EU Mission in Kazakhstan, with the participation of the British Council within the framework of the «We Almaty» project.
The Almaty City Development Center plans to hold such meetings on a permanent basis.
