The Mayor of Irkutsk reported on five years of work

Viktor Kondrashov reported on the work of the Irkutsk administration for 2010 2014, noting that over five years a mechanism was created to continue the chosen course. He spoke of major changes in social services, construction of kindergartens, schools, sports facilities, roads, transport, utilities, and urban improvement. The mayor also noted population growth, lower unemployment, increased tourist flow, and new projects that have already changed Irkutsk.

On March 13, Irkutsk Mayor Viktor Kondrashov, whose powers as head of the city end on March 26, 2015, reported on the work of the administration in 2010 - 2014.
About one thousand Irkutsk residents attended the mayor’s report, including representatives of the regional government, deputies of the Legislative Assembly of the Irkutsk Region, the Irkutsk City Duma, members of the Public Chamber of the City of Irkutsk, Honorary Citizens of the City of Irkutsk, heads of major enterprises and institutions of the city, representatives of national confessions, public organizations, and Irkutsk residents. During the report, the hall repeatedly interrupted the speaker with applause.
“The main thing is that over five years a mechanism has been created in Irkutsk that will make it possible to preserve the continuity of the course we have set for years to come. In many respects, the achievements of this five-year period became possible thanks to the extensive preparatory work carried out by our predecessors. And we left our successors many foundations and initiatives,” Viktor Kondrashov noted.
According to the mayor, during these five years powerful processes of transformation in Irkutsk were launched. First of all, the Strategy for the Socio-Economic Development of the City of Irkutsk until 2025 was adopted. In 2014, the document was included among the seven best strategies in Russia. Based on the Strategy, the Comprehensive Socio-Economic Development Program of Irkutsk (CSEDP) and 19 five-year programs until 2017 were developed and adopted. A fundamentally important moment was the transition to a program-target method of budget allocation, in which the main criterion is the result, not budget spending. In 2012, the Land Use and Development Rules were approved and new Local Urban Planning Standards were adopted. These documents provide only for comprehensive development by neighborhoods and limit spot development. Mechanisms were created to actively attract private investment to solve city tasks: restoration of wooden architecture monuments, and city beautification.
Viktor Kondrashov noted important positive trends in the life of Irkutsk: a steady increase in population due to birth rates and migration, an almost twofold increase over the past three years in the birth of third and subsequent children in families, a reduction in the unemployment rate to 0, 46%, etc.
“In 2010, priorities were clearly defined and a long-term work plan was outlined. Priority No. 1 is comfortable conditions for the birth and development of the younger generation. This is the ‘maternity hospital - kindergarten – school’ concept. We completed the tasks set for five years. At the same time, work was underway on Priority No. 2 - this is municipal services and the improvement of Irkutsk. Full-scale implementation of this block was planned for 2015- 2019, but much has already been achieved in this direction,” said Mayor Kondrashov.
The mayor said that over four years (before the transfer of healthcare powers to the regional level on January 1, 2014), three major facilities were built - an extension to the MEDSANCHAST IAPO polyclinic, a new building of the City Perinatal Center, and an operating block of the City Ivano-Matreninskaya Children’s Clinical Hospital. Three facilities were reconstructed: the anti-shock operating room of City Clinical Hospital No. 3, the branch of City Clinical Hospital No. 8 polyclinic, and the branch of Polyclinic No. 6. Major repairs were carried out in 19 hospitals and polyclinics.
In implementation of the “May decrees” of the President of Russia, 20 new kindergartens were opened in Irkutsk over five years. Of these, 11 were built, 5 extensions to existing kindergartens were erected, and 4 kindergarten buildings that had previously been used for other purposes were returned to municipal ownership and opened after renovation. 4,168 places were created in the new preschool institutions. Another 12.5 thousand places were created thanks to internal reserves (2,972 places), the opening of short-stay groups (7,071 places), the transfer of departmental kindergartens into municipal ownership (736 places), and 1,753 places were created in private kindergartens and care and supervision groups organized with financial support from the city treasury. In total, 16,700 additional places in preschool institutions were created. The cost of the 20 kindergartens is estimated at 1 billion 877.8 million rubles, of which 1 billion 283.8 million are from the city budget, and 594 million from the regional budget. Eight kindergartens and 4 extensions were built on a co-financing basis.
Over five years, 12 schools were overhauled and one was built anew - School No. 23. Design work is now underway for primary school No. 66 in Rabochy and a school on Bagration Street in the Sverdlovsky District. In 2013, the first “teachers’ dormitory” was built. 34 families of education workers received apartment keys. In the fall of 2014, construction began on a municipal dormitory with 304 apartments in the Leninsky District.
Special attention was paid to additional education for children. Since September 2013, it has become free for them. The building of the “Alye Parusa” library was constructed. The former House of Trade Unions building and the former Marat cinema were acquired into ownership.
Over five years, 10 major sports facilities were built. These are two swimming pools (“Yunost” and “Spartak”). A modern stadium for School No. 75, a stadium for School No. 53, sports halls in 5 schools (Nos. 11, 43, 63, 68, 72), and a climbing wall were built. The Lokomotiv stadium in the Leninsky District was acquired into ownership. The Vympel sports complex was overhauled. Construction of a sports and recreation center in Yubileyny is now in full swing. The project is ready and a construction permit has been obtained for a sports and recreation center with a swimming pool in the Sinyushina Gora microdistrict. Special attention is being paid to mass sports in the courtyards. 31 universal sports grounds were installed. 15 hockey rinks were reconstructed.
“The construction of facilities is not an end in itself. The main thing is the result. And it is there. The number of children engaged in sports sections and clubs in Irkutsk has increased by 48% (2010 - 29,273 children, 2014 - 43,551 children). School doctors note improvements in the health of children in those schools where new opportunities for sports activities have appeared. In 2014, the number of crimes among minors decreased by almost 22%,” Viktor Kondrashov noted.
The mayor emphasized that, on average, 60% of the city budget was allocated annually to the social sphere. Over five years, 34 major social facilities were built with budget funds. A fundamentally important point is that the emphasis was placed on remote neighborhoods. Everything should be within walking distance - a kindergarten, a school, clubs, and sports sections.
Speaking about the economy, Mayor Kondrashov said that three main tasks were set in this area: to increase the revenue side of the budget, to spend it as efficiently as possible (for this purpose the budget began to be distributed on a program-target basis and for three years), and to use all opportunities to attract investment into the city’s economy. The mayor noted positive dynamics in this area, especially highlighting the development of tourism. Thanks to investments in the urban environment, the creation of conditions for the construction of international-class hotels (“Marriott” has been built, “Ibis” - construction has begun), the implementation of the “Green Line” project and the opening of the Irkutsk City Information and Tourist Service, the number of tourists to Irkutsk increased by 35% over five years. The number of days they stay in Irkutsk has increased. According to estimates, tourists spend about 5 billion rubles a year in Irkutsk.
Systematic work was carried out in the sphere of municipal services. Viktor Kondrashov said that over five years 2 million 196 square meters of housing were built in Irkutsk. A fundamentally new development for Irkutsk in this area was the Built-up Territories Development Project, in which an investor, at their own expense, demolishes dilapidated and emergency housing and builds new housing. The implementation mechanism for this project, developed by Irkutsk specialists, is recognized as one of the most successful in the country. 5,179 Irkutsk residents were resettled from dilapidated housing with budget funds. Another 1,135 city residents became participants in other municipal housing programs, including those for young people.
Speaking about roads, Viktor Kondrashov noted that over five years 20,000 sq. m. of roadway was built, 19,784 sq. m. was reconstructed, and 110 thousand sq. m. was overhauled. The largest road construction projects: 3rd of July St., Volgogradskaya St., Stepan Razin St., Yadrintseva St., Gryaznova St., Kievskaya St., Karl Marx St., Chapaeva St., Marshal Konev St., Mira St., Radishcheva St., Napolnaya St. In 2011, two underground pedestrian crossings were built on Sergeeva St. An important point is that work with contractors was fundamentally reorganized: final payment only after the facility is fully delivered.
Order was restored in the sphere of transport services. The number of uncontrolled private route taxis was reduced by almost half. 66 new municipal buses and 8 trolleybuses were purchased.
In the sphere of municipal utilities, the mayor noted that in 2013 Irkutsk was among the first in Russia to adopt the Unified City Heat Supply Scheme. This made it possible to equalize the tariff in the city. The application for the reconstruction of the right-bank treatment facilities was approved and included in the federal program, with subsidies amounting to 3.7 billion rubles. Funding for the facility has already been provided since 2015. The modernization of the Vodokanal municipal unitary enterprise was carried out.
“Over five years, the appearance of Irkutsk has also changed. The 130th Quarter attracts a lot of criticism, but city residents and visitors to Irkutsk like it. Irkutsk has a new embankment, and the Moscow Gates have been recreated. Mainly with the funds of patrons, 23 new monuments and sculptural compositions were installed, 16 new squares and recreation areas were arranged. A unique mechanism for restoring old mansions at the expense of investors has been created. Currently, 16 buildings are under restoration. In total, it is planned to restore more than 40 monuments. Not only the city center is being improved, but also courtyards. Over five years, 784 adjacent territories have been brought into order,” the mayor noted.
One of the achievements of this five-year period, the mayor called the measures to close the “Shanghai” market in the city center. In its place, it is planned to create a modern public space with recreation areas, restored architectural monuments, retail facilities, cafes, restaurants, hotels, and low-rise development. All this is envisaged by the new conceptual project “The Trading Axis of Irkutsk,” which proposes development in a unified key for 11 blocks of the regional center.
At the end of the report, the mayor thanked his colleagues for their work and support, and the people of Irkutsk for their trust and active participation in the life of the city.
“Much of what we have done, done with love, will remain for centuries and will serve the people of Irkutsk! Over five years, I have come to know Irkutsk like no one else, I know every pain point of it. And if my experience can be useful for my native city, I am ready to share it. I love Irkutsk! I am always with you,” said Viktor Kondrashov.
Based on materials from the press service of the Irkutsk administration.