Tanais Park

Urban space with a long history

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More than forty years have passed since the opening of the Soviet district park. During this time, scientific progress has reached its peak, our society has moved into the age of information, the state system and way of life have changed.

The population's need for recreation has remained unchanged, only the ways of satisfying this need have also evolved. If it was enough for Soviet children to climb the fortress of the " Fairy Tale Glade", and parents at this time quietly read newspapers, now we all advocate for safety, certification of products and, of course, require licenses for equipment compliance with modern standards.

Reasons for the neglect of the park and an analysis of the current state of the environment

In the design phase, much time is spent on researching the history of the park's formation and analyzing its current state. Among the reasons for the area's stagnation, two main groups of factors were divided: architectural and town-planning (planning) problems and social ones.

Discarding general phrases such as lack of funding and, consequently, lack of proper care for the vast territory, we note that today the park has a lack of spatial dominants that serve as points of attraction for recreationists, and the lack of purpose of being in the park generates social problems.

There is no doubt that somewhere in the memory of the citizens there is a bright memory of the children's park of the Soviet district, the AN-10 airplane and the "Glade of Fairy Tales", but the criminal reputation of the park "Tanais" is more in the ear.

A new vector of the park's development: walking routes and a bicycle path

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The planning structure of the park has not been radically changed, the main functional zones have been preserved, the configuration of their boundaries has been adjusted, the territory is more functionally saturated.

The points of attraction of recreants are connected with the existing pedestrian alleys, as well as newly organized walking routes and bicycle path.

Renovation of children's attractions, a smart leisure area, food court and rope park

First of all, the park will have a central square on the main alley with a light-dynamic dry fountain and a stage for events. New attractions, beloved by the residents of the district, are being installed along the border of the square: a children's railroad, a carousel and attractions for the youngest visitors.

Zoning the park by age and activity, a place to walk with pets

At the same time, visitors are dispersed throughout the park by using new functional zones:

— playground with equipment for ages 0-3; 3-6; 6 and more;
— swing zone;
— art therapy area;
— «herbal garden» with a creek;
— urban vegetable garden;
— areas for physical training, workout;
— use of existing basketball courts;
— playground 0+;
— light therapy zone;
— silence therapy;
— pet walking area.

Comfort infrastructure: barrier-free environment, internet, food networks

The comfort of staying in the recreational environment is achieved through the involvement of all types of infrastructure:

— stormwater drainage and integrated irrigation system for the mixborders and herb garden;
— information boards and a navigation system;
— activation and marking of park entrances, installation of perimeter fencing and identification of mode of operation are also needed;
— title Park roadway pavements for easy navigation.

— parking for 181 cars, including 6 cars for low mobility groups;
— barrier-free environment, Wi-Fi coverage; video surveillance; WC (one in each part of the park);
— bicycle infrastructure: bicycle lanes, bicycle parking lots, sports equipment rental;
— organization of public catering network: food trucks, reconstruction of "Tip-top" cafe under the concept of children's park both outside and inside;
— lighting of the main square with a fountain, main pedestrian routes and bicycle paths, decorative lighting of key elements of the recreational environment;

Park road surfaces for easy navigation

Road and pathway pavements are combined for ease of movement and spatial orientation in the structure of the park: concrete paving stones, granite sift, polyurethane, terrace board, lawn lattice for parking, colored asphalt concrete for the cycle path along the park boundary.

The existing green massif of the park is preserved and renewed, new pedestrian paths are laid out according to the existing dendroplan. Bright accents of mixborders appear on the central avenue, an "herb garden" is organized in the western part of the park with planting material according to the principles of Pete Udolph's New Wave, and a parterre lawn is planted in the physical education area.

New visitors to the park are active, healthy lifestyle and aspiring, young and mature, moms with children of all ages and currently absent teens.

The realization of what is envisioned is possible thanks to competent management of the territory and investment funds

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It seems unlikely to develop the territory using only the city budget, as there has been no capital investment in the development of the recreational environment of Tanais Park for a long period of time, and the recreational resources need to be fully restored. In this regard, it is necessary to attract investors, involve the public in the life of the park, use crowdfunding platforms for some projects, and utilize all available modern technologies to focus on the problem and its solution.

Like any urban structure, the park needs competent management. But in a "proper" park, the active role of organizing social life belongs to the communities operating in it, which create the much-needed energetic vitality and set a certain vector for the development of the environment. Visitors themselves will support the popularity of the park by posting content in social networks.

In the Year of Ecology, the state of the recreational environment attracts close attention of both the population and the authorities, because the increasing morbidity of citizens is a consequence of the negative impact of the degrading natural environment. The opportunity to restore the organism, improve health, find psychological comfort using the park's resources, communicating with wildlife in different contexts, help to conduct timely therapy of functional systems of a healthy person.

The Tanais Park after reconstruction is a modern and safe environment for active and passive recreation, communication, health improvement, entertainment, it is an accessible area for all ages with up-to-date architectural and planning solutions.