Rally "For the Green Embankment" was held in Vologda on July 24. Local architects, restoration experts, and historic preservation activists discussed a project of reconstruction of Quay of VI Army, which is causing discontent of residents. They believe that the authorities want to destroy the green landscape of the river. According to "UrbanVologda", about 1000 people came to the event.
In Vologda, the project for the protection and improvement of the embankement is being implemented. The authorities plan to complete the concreting of the green banks by August. Residents of the city are against it. Organizers of the rally called several reasons for the termination of work:
— We have the conclusion of the hydrologist from Vologda University that there is no shore erosion. This process is a waste of time and money, — said architect Yulia Bibiksarova. — The project is carried out with violations of the legislation in the field of ecology and preservation of cultural heritage. The documents allege that in terms of archeology everything is all right, but observations are not actually conducted!
Bibiksarova added that activists had found several violations of the project. For example, an inspection of the construction department showed that the elevations of the upper and lower reinforced concrete stop did not meet the project documentation. The contractor of works — сompany Magistral — are assigned to fix the revealed violations till July 10.
Candidate of Philological Sciences, professor of Vologda State University Tatiana Voronina told the correspondent of "7x7" that the concreting of the embankment is the issue of the cultural heritage preservation.
— Those people who approve the project aren't going to live in this city and grow old in it. I'm going to, so I care.
— We may not understand the technical side of the issue, but we are able to understand the aesthetic and historical side, — added her colleague Anna Fedorova.
Architects and historic preservation activists from Kazan and Moscown attended the rally in Vologda. The wife of blogger Ilya Varlamov Lyudmila, who often writes about Vologda, spoke on the open microphone.
— I have not seen any embankment undergo things like it does here in any civilized country. You must not let such an attitude be in your city! — she said.
Residents of Vologda have insisted on saving the green embankment since 2018. Experts have found several violations in the project and its implementation. Meetings with the mayor, round tables, and letters to the government had no effect on the decision of the city administration. The governor of the region Oleg Kuvshinnikov stated that the work would continue. Residents of Vologda consider rally "For the Green Embankment" to be the chance "to prevent a town-planning error".
A few hours before the event, federal forum «Chto ne tak» ("What Is Wrong") was held in Vologda, where residents could speak on the problems of the city. Historic preservation activists were not allowed to discuss the embankment.
