A Public Council for the Vodnik Stadium is being established in Nizhny Novgorod.

      Today at the TOS “Gorkovsky” at 4 Volodarsky Street a meeting took place between representatives of the Nizhny Novgorod administration and local residents: community activists, athletes, and pensioners. For an hour and a half participants discussed issues of restricting access to the territory of the Vodnik stadium, declared unsafe, creating comfortable detour routes for local residents, and the future development of this space.

      Recall that Resolution No. 9804 “On recognizing municipal objects as unsafe and subject to demolition” was published on the official website of the Nizhny Novgorod administration in the “Documents” section and is publicly available. Anyone can review it.

      At the start of the discussion, Anton Ermakov, Director of the Department of Physical Culture and Sports, emphasized that with the suspension of training at Vodnik, all conditions were first of all created for the comfortable transfer of the pupils of the Vodnik sports school to new venues. “We worked with the parents of the sports school pupils. It was necessary to organize training conditions for almost 500 children. The decision to close the stadium was made to develop this territory in the future. Now our task is to ensure safety due to the object’s unsafe condition,” said Anton Ermakov.

      Local resident Lyudmila Evgenyevna asked why the area could not have been partially closed off by fencing the dangerous sections. Her question was supported by local resident Svetlana Shartanova.

      Deputy Head of the Nizhny Novgorod Administration Leonid Streltsov explained that according to the expert assessment, the entire infrastructure is in an unsafe condition, and even if some structures may visually appear reliable, the experts’ conclusions indicate otherwise. “Moreover, for example, it is not possible to get to the tracks or the football field separately, bypassing the hazardous structures. A stadium is, first and foremost, a municipal sports facility,” replied Leonid Streltsov.

      His remarks were supplemented by Alexey Rybolovlev, Head of the Nizhegorodsky District Administration, who reported that a detour scheme around the stadium has been developed for residents’ convenience. “We know that you and other local residents have been used to using the stadium grounds to shorten routes in this area. Now, as mentioned, the passages are closed to ensure people’s safety. We urge you not to ignore warning signs and not to try to enter the hazardous site. A detour scheme with improved walkways has been developed for residents. We will provide you with all current information,” Alexey Rybolovlev noted, agreeing with those present to walk the proposed detour routes together. He also emphasized that alongside the development of the stadium territory, subsequent improvement of the residential areas adjacent to Vodnik’s boundaries is planned — a need previously discussed with local residents.

      Meeting participants, including Tatyana Fomicheva, Chair of the TOS of the Gorkovsky microdistrict, asked about the master plan for the territory’s development and whether there are known deadlines for its completion.

      Answering those questions, Leonid Streltsov, referring to the Institute for the Development of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Agglomeration, said that “the master plan is tentatively planned to be approved by the end of 2025. Adjustments to shorten the timeline are possible.”

      “Indeed, the Institute for the Development of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Agglomeration is currently developing the master plan. Following its development and adoption, a project will be prepared that will reflect the timelines for its implementation. The timelines for implementation of particular stages of construction are regulated, standardized and set out in the ‘Project for the Organization of Construction.’ This is a section of the project documentation that describes the methods and procedures for organizing construction and installation works during the erection of a capital construction object. All regulatory deadlines must be met,” Leonid Streltsov said, describing the procedure for preparing the necessary documentation.

      Residents were also told that several key elements can already be identified. “According to the master plan, the construction of a physical culture and wellness complex with an indoor ice arena, a year-round football field, and multifunctional courts is planned. It is anticipated that the sports and public facilities will be available for year-round training of schoolchildren, club members, and youth sports schools,” Anton Ermakov reported.

      At the end of the meeting, Artur Shtoyan, Director of the Department of Social Communications and Youth Policy, said that the creation of the Vodnik Stadium Public Council is currently in its final stage and that it will include local residents, Nizhny Novgorod athletes, coaches from the namesake sports school, and a parents’ group. “The Council will be established in the coming days. For example, Tatyana Ivanovna Fomicheva, Chair of the TOS of the Gorkovsky microdistrict, and Oksana Olegovna Shlykova, head of the ‘Football Moms of the Nizhny Novgorod Region’ community, who are here with us now, have already confirmed their participation in the Council. We invite everyone who cares. There are still many meetings and a lot of work ahead, so we will continue to meet and discuss,” he added.

      Following the discussion, local residents said that some remain skeptical, but they are wholeheartedly “for” finally bringing the stadium into order after many years of promises. They will be glad if the territory is transformed. Nizhny Novgorod resident Tatyana Shartanova shared the same view: “Of course it needs repairs! This is the city center!”

      Nizhny Novgorod athletes joined the conversation. One of them, Anton Sokolov, a Muay Thai coach, said he came from the Sormovsky district because he learned about the meeting on social media. “I walk past Vodnik regularly, and of course it looks very depressing. It definitely needs to be redone! If nothing is started, nothing will change. I’ll be waiting for the project to be presented; I’m very enthusiastic about it,” said the Nizhny Novgorod resident, noting he was satisfied with the meeting.

      Oksana Shlykova, head of the “Football Moms of the Nizhny Novgorod Region” community, emphasized that as the mother of a footballer who previously trained at Vodnik, the safety of children is her primary concern. “The stadium could no longer provide the quality of training that children need. Especially now that it has been declared unsafe, of course it had to be closed. Most importantly, it was closed to create something new! Our community and our children strongly support this. And we will especially be waiting for the football field because we are footballers!” she shared.

      Tatyana Fomicheva, Chair of the TOS of the Gorkovsky microdistrict — the one closest to Vodnik stadium — also spoke. “Although there were many different opinions at the meeting, it went positively. A start has been made, and we will continue to monitor developments, especially now that a Council is being created, which I will join. For many years we were promised changes at Vodnik, but the plans were never implemented, so the skepticism of some people is understandable. But I think the majority are still optimistic. That is human nature,” Tatyana Fomicheva said.

      The next meeting will take place within the framework of the Public Council.

      Archive, March 2025.