Recalling 2021 in Lviv: Mozart Junior Kerfuffle, Arrival of the Saudis, and a Pretty Square

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Lviv Now has collected for you the main discoveries and changes of the year that affected the people of Lviv.
Koliivshchyny Square, with its new fountain bearing the names in Hebrew of former residents of the neighborhood.

Koliivshchyny Square, with its new fountain bearing the names in Hebrew of former residents of the neighborhood.

Opening of the renovated Koliivshchyny Square

This year, one of the oldest and smallest squares in the city, Koliivshchyny Square, was reconstructed in Lviv. Its dimensions are only 650 square meters. The square was opened in September.

During the work, the specialists of the «Rescue Archaeological Service« found the remains of ancient builders and an ancient well, which was restored. Thus, according to the project, the well was updated and inscriptions were cut – the names of people who lived and worked here. In addition, new street furniture appeared on the square, chairs were placed instead of the usual benches, and landscaping was updated. PE «Research and Production Company» Ruthenia «was engaged in the reconstruction project.

The square was reconstructed within the framework of the grant project in cooperation with Jewish organizations in the project «Shared responsibility for common heritage» (ReHERIT) with the assistance of the European Union. The cost of the works was UAH 3.2 million.

Installation of a monument to Mozart

A monument to Franz Xaver Mozart was unveiled in Eugena Malaniuka Square in the city centre 26 August. In July this year, 230 years have passed since the birth of the outstanding Austrian composer, the youngest son of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Franz Xaver. He lived in the Lviv region most of his life. There were long discussions around the sculpture, Lviv residents even collected signatures for a petition to have the city council overturn the decision to install the composition and later registered several petitions to demolish the monument, but deputies did not support the dismantling.

This sculpture was created by the Austrian artist Sebastian Schweikert in the suburbs of Salzburg. Lviv conductor Oksana Lyniv presented the city to Mozart together with the LvivMozArt Foundation.

At the same time, some experts noted that the installation of the sculpture was a great opportunity to encourage people to talk about current art, what it gives us, what it is needed for. In particular, Pavlo Hudimov, art manager and art collector, noted that there was finally a discussion in Lviv about a work of art, not politics and that a sample of contemporary European art by a famous artist had finally appeared in Lviv. In addition, the very figure of Xaver attracted the attention of Lviv residents, as well as the square, which until recently was forgotten.

Mozart’s sculpture has deep symbolism. What the author of the sculpture Sebastian Schweikert invested in it, you can read in Lviv Now’s exclusive interview

Tourism development in Lviv

This year, Danylo Halytsky International Airport Lviv was included in the TOP-3 airports of Ukraine in terms of the number of traffic. Thus, in November, 153.5 thousand passengers were served here, and since the beginning of the year – 1 million 673.8 thousand people. In addition, the number of tourists in the city compared to last year increased by more than 50%. Thus, from January to September this year alone, more than 21,000 people applied to the tourist information centres of Lviv, of which 11,000 are tourists.

In the top 5 foreign countries that visited the centres during this period, most guests were from Poland (2708 people), Turkey (2185) and Saudi Arabia (2184), Germany (626) and Belarus (496). Foreign tourists stayed in Lviv for an average of 4-5 days and left here about 295 euros.

Also in July this year, the first regular flight from Saudi Arabia landed in Lviv. Later, Jeddah – Al Qasim – Lviv and Dammam – Lviv were launched. In addition, the State Aviation Service of Ukraine recently allowed SkyUp to operate flights from Lviv to Kuwait and Riyadh (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). The Department of Tourism and Resorts of the Lviv Regional State Administration will even develop a special application for foreign tourists, for which it will pay UAH 330,000.

Lviv Now held a public discussion on «How to» sell «Lviv to tourists. New directions and experience of other tourist cities «in order to discuss how tourist Lviv does not lose its potential and develop further even in the conditions of restrictions, as well as to consider what methods other tourist cities have resorted to. Read the article about what else attracts Ukraine and Lviv, in particular tourists from Saudi Arabia.

Lviv received three new trams «Electron»

At the end of this year, Lviv received three new five-section trams, produced by a local plant «Electron». Currently, they undergo running tests, and the city will receive seven more by the middle of next year. The City Council notes that the new trams will run on the route №8, which connects Sykhiv district with the centre because it is the most efficient line, it is allocated and there is a large flow of passengers.

The cost of one train is $ 1.9 million (including spare parts). The city received a 12 million euro loan from the EIB for the purchase of ten five-section trams. These vehicles can accommodate 250 people. It is more comfortable and easier to drive than previous «Electron» trams. In total, Lviv already has 12 «electrons», including five-section ones.

Opening of Pekarska Street

In September this year, Pekarska street opened after reconstruction, and 9 December – Schimseriv street (the area from the streets Tershakovtsiv to the street Mechnikova). To establish bicycle traffic, the city arranged lanes and paths, street furniture was installed and parking lots were expanded. Street lighting and young bushes and trees have yet to be installed on the street.

On Pekarska Street in December last year, 47 trees were cut down during repairs. Upon completion of the works, 57 new trees and 1,995 bushes are to be planted on the street. The total cost of the repair was UAH 109 million. The reconstruction was carried out by «Welt Capital» LLC.

Street for everyone

18 December, the last section of Stepana Bandery Street was opened for traffic in Lviv – from Antonovycha Street to Horodotska Street. Bandery was closed for repairs last September, and although traffic on the street was resumed, a large amount of work remains: marking, landscaping, public space at the Bandera-Chuprynky intersection, retaining wall near the Lviv Organ Hall.

The total, the estimated cost of the reconstruction of the street is UAH 209 million, but there are additional works, such as with public space and a retaining wall. There will also be adjustments to the project, so the cost will increase as a result.

We will add that in Lviv in October this year, the city decided to conduct repair works on the intersection of Horodotska and Stepana Bandery streets around the clock. Because of this, for the first time, the city promised compensation to the residents of nearby houses for the inconvenience. 

Nevertheless, the amount of compensation for round-the-clock repairs has not been set, because, as the press service of the City Council reported, no one has applied for it. In addition, they added that the work lasted only a few days around the clock, all the others needed daylight.

Start of aeromedical evacuation 

This year, the aeromedical evacuation of patients started in the Lviv region. It was organized on the basis of the Regional Center for Emergency Care and Disaster Medicine. First, a helicopter of the State Emergency Service was used, and now – the one, given by the police. The project of aeromedical evacuation is financed from the state budget.

The first flight was made to the village of Turky, from where a 78-year-old woman with a stroke was transported to Lviv hospital by air. A child with severe congenital heart disease was also rescued and taken by helicopter to the Children’s Heart Institute in Kyiv. The helicopter evacuated two patients who were involved in a terrible accident in the Brody region.

The new helicopter of the National Police serves not only Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Zakarpattia regions, but also Chernivtsi, Ternopil and Volyn regions. The first aeromedical evacuation in the Lviv region was carried out in April. As of today, the helicopter has performed 57 evacuations. 

Such care is provided to patients with strokes, heart attacks or serious injuries after an accident. Five doctors and five paramedics are working on the air evacuation. 

Loan for the construction of an IT park

In April this year, the construction company «Development Group» LLC received an agreement from Poland’s largest state-owned bank BKG to provide a loan of 81.5 million euros for the creation of an IT park in Lviv. The technology park with offices for 10,000 IT specialists, a multifunctional centre and research laboratories will be built at the intersection of Stryiska and Chmoly streets.

The total cost of construction of the first phase of the project is 136 million euros. The planned opening date of the first phase of the project is the second half of 2023.

Innovation District IT Park is a space where future IT specialists will work and study. In addition to office space, there will also be a campus of laboratories, which will be freely accessible to scientists and students from various educational institutions in the city. The project already has its first residents, including IT companies GlobalLogic, N-iX, Intellias, SoftServe and Perfectial.

It is implemented with the participation of a local investor and the world’s largest real estate fund, with the support and partnership of the Lviv IT Cluster, which also organises the annual tech conference IT Arena (read about this year’s event here). The general contractor of the construction will be one of the largest construction companies in Poland – Unibep. According to the project, the IT park will be located on a 10-hectare plot of land and will be able to accommodate 10,000 employees of the IT industry and more than 4,000 employees of related industries. The total investment in the project is $ 180 million. The project was initiated by the Lviv IT Cluster in 2015. You can find out what the IT park in Lviv will look like by following the link

The first successful sale of the former colony in Ukraine

In June, Lviv became one of the first cities in Ukraine to hold an auction under the privatization program of former prisons and colonies. Thus, the former correctional colony №48, located at Khutorivka Street, 2, was bought by SoftServe. Seven companies took part in the electronic auction, the value of the lot increased from 132 million hryvnias to over 377 million hryvnias. So, an IT campus will appear in Khutorivka. There will be offices, housing, a sports complex, as well as an English-language school, a kindergarten, and possibly a Science Museum. Read more about this here.

Market for Agricultural Products «Shuvar» LLC bought three more premises of the penal colony for UAH 30 million. This is the territory at st. Khutorivka, 4 with a total area of ​​0.9 hectares. The company says it plans to use it to expand the market.

The first food bank in Ukraine

In August of this year, in Lviv at ​​Kulparkivska Street 158, the «Tarilka» food bank opened, where people who need food can get it for free.

This is the first such project in Ukraine, the goal of which is the full functioning of the food bank, which will collect expired products in shops and cafes. Thus, volunteers want to reduce the level of organic waste and provide daily food for low-income people. 

The NGO «Tarilka» (Plate) noted that today, 1/3 of all products in the world go to landfills, and Ukraine is among the leaders in Europe in the number of landfills, which are half of the organic waste. Every year, Ukrainians throw away about 7 tons of edible products worth more than 5.5 billion hryvnias. The founder of «Tarilka» is an entrepreneur and volunteer Rostyslav Kosyura, who moved to Ukraine in August 2019. 

Medical reform in Lviv 

At the end of this year, medical reform began in Lviv, and three city Territorial Medical Associations were formed. The first – «Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital of Intensive Care and Ambulance», it merged «Clinical Hospital of Ambulance of Lviv»; «8th City Clinical Hospital of Lviv»; «Lviv Children’s Clinical Hospital».

The second is a combination of planned treatment and palliative care, and the third is obstetrics and gynecology. The TMO «Clinical Hospital for Planned Treatment, Rehabilitation and Palliative Care» unites four city hospitals: «Lviv 1st City Clinical Hospital named after Prince Lev», «4th City Clinical Hospital of Lviv», «5th City Clinical Hospital» Lviv «,» Hospice Hospital of Lviv «.

The Lviv Clinical Territorial Medical Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology will unite two medical institutions: «Maternity Hospital № 1 Lviv», «3rd City Clinical Hospital of Lviv».

From next year, patients are promised better service and better medical care, doctors and nurses – twice the salary and the opportunity to develop professionally, and and the city aims to create strong medical associations that can be financially stable and independent. 

Victoria’s victory

This year, Lviv announced fundraising for Victoria Polyuga with a rare disease SMA. It is a hereditary disease that is passed on to children from their parents, caused by a damaged SMN1 gene that contains a protein. Low protein content also leads to muscle atrophy. At the age of 8 months, Victoria stopped lifting her legs and could no longer sit on her own. The result of the analysis at the SMA shocked the parents, and they rushed to save their daughter.

4 November donors collected 50 million USD at injection Zolgensma for the girl. Hundreds of festivals, fairs, races and auctions have been held in Lviv since the beginning of the gathering. Victoria spent 7 months in rehabilitation in Italy. The last million was sent by the parents of the boy Kirill from Kyiv, who also suffers from SMA, but who won a free injection this year.

The injection was supposed to be given in early December this year at the American clinic in San Antonio, but because of Victoria’s flu, it was postponed. Read more about the story of the girl who united Lviv in the article.

Prepared by Victoria Savitska, photo collage by Dmitry Taradayka

Translated by Vitalii Holich

You can read a Ukrainian language version of this story here.

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Lviv Now is an English-language website for Lviv, Ukraine’s «tech-friendly cultural hub.» It is produced by Tvoe Misto («Your City») media-hub, which also hosts regular problem-solving public forums to benefit the city and its people.

 



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