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

      For an hour and a half the participants discussed issues of restricting access to the Vodnik stadium grounds

      Today at the TOS "Gorkovsky" on 4 Volodarsky Street a meeting took place between representatives of the Nizhny Novgorod administration and local residents: civic activists, athletes, and pensioners. For an hour and a half the participants discussed issues of restricting access to the grounds of the Vodnik stadium, which has been declared unsafe, creating comfortable bypass routes for local residents, and the future development of this space.

      Recall that Resolution No. 9804 "On the Recognition of Municipal Objects as Unsafe and Subject to Demolition" was published on the official website of the Nizhny Novgorod administration and is freely accessible in the "Documents" section. Anyone interested can read it.

      At the start of the meeting, the director of the Department of Physical Culture and Sports, Anton Ermakov, emphasized that with the suspension of training activities at Vodnik, the primary concern was to create all the conditions for a comfortable transfer of the students of the Vodnik sports school to new venues. "We worked with the parents of the sports school students. It was necessary to organize training for almost 500 children. The decision to close the stadium was made in order to develop this territory in the future. Now our task is to ensure safety due to the building's unsafe condition," Anton Ermakov said.

      Local resident Lyudmila Evgenyevna asked why it was not possible to close the territory partially by fencing off the dangerous sections. Her question was supported by local resident Svetlana Shartanova.

      The deputy head of the Nizhny Novgorod administration, Leonid Streltsov, explained that according to the expert assessment, all of the infrastructure is in an emergency condition, and even if some structures may appear reliable visually, the experts' conclusions say otherwise. "Moreover, for example, it is not possible to reach the tracks or the football field separately while bypassing the hazardous structures. The stadium is, first and foremost, a municipal sports facility," Leonid Streltsov replied.

      His remarks were supplemented by the head of the Nizhegorodsky District administration, Alexey Rybolovlev, who said that a scheme for bypassing the stadium grounds has been developed for the convenience of residents. "We know that you and other local residents have been used to using the stadium grounds to shorten routes in this area. Now, as has already been said, the passages are closed to ensure people's safety. We urge you not to ignore the warning signs and not to attempt to enter a dangerous facility. A bypass scheme with improved walkways has now been drawn up for residents. We will provide you with all the up-to-date information," Alexey Rybolovlev noted, agreeing with those present to walk the proposed bypass routes together. He also emphasized that along with the development of the stadium territory, subsequent improvement of the residential yards adjacent to Vodnik's boundaries is planned — a need that had been discussed earlier with local residents.

      Participants of the meeting, including Tatyana Fomicheva, chair of the TOS of the "Gorkovsky" microdistrict, asked about the master plan for the territory's development and whether there is a timeline for its completion.

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

      "Indeed, the Institute for the Development of the Agglomeration of the Nizhny Novgorod Region is currently developing the master plan. Upon its completion and adoption, a project will be prepared that will indicate the timelines for its implementation. The timelines for the implementation of specific construction stages are regulated, standardized and shown in the 'Project for the Organization of Construction.' This is the section of the project documentation that describes the methods and procedures for organizing construction and installation work during the erection of a capital construction facility. All regulated deadlines will need to be met," Leonid Streltsov said, describing the procedure for preparing the necessary documentation.

      Residents were also told that several key points can already be identified. "According to the master plan, it is planned to build a physical culture and wellness complex with an indoor ice arena, a year-round football field and multifunctional areas. It is expected that the sports and community facilities will be available for year-round training for schoolchildren, club members and youth sports schools," Anton Ermakov reported.

      At the end of the meeting, the director of the Department of Social Communications and Youth Policy, Artur Shtoyan, said that the creation of a Public Council for the Vodnik stadium is currently in its final stage; it will include local residents, Nizhny Novgorod athletes, coaches from the eponymous sports school and active parents. "The Council will be created in the next few 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 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 for now, but they are wholeheartedly in favor of bringing the stadium, after many years of promises, back into order. They will only be glad if the territory is transformed. Nizhny Novgorod resident Tatyana Shartanova shares this view: "Of course it needs repairs! This is the city center!"

      Nizhny Novgorod athletes also 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 done! If nothing is started, nothing will change. I'll be waiting for the project to be presented; I'm very excited about this," the Nizhny Novgorod resident said, noting that he was pleased with the meeting.

      The head of the "Football Moms of the Nizhny Novgorod Region" community, Oksana Shlykova, emphasized that for her, as the mother of a footballer who once trained at Vodnik, the safety of children is paramount. "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. And the main thing is that it was closed in order to create something new! Our community and our children fully support this. And we will be especially looking forward to the football field, because we are footballers!" she shared.

      Tatyana Fomicheva, chair of the TOS of the "Gorkovsky" microdistrict, also spoke. Gorkovsky is the microdistrict closest to the Vodnik stadium. "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 since the Council is now being created, of which I will be a member. For many years we were promised that changes were coming to Vodnik, but the plans were never implemented, so the skepticism of some people is understandable. But I think the majority are still optimistic. That's human nature," Tatyana Fomicheva believes.

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