The idea for Anne Youth Centre's leisure park reached the final round of the participatory budget.

July 15, 2021

On Monday, a public discussion was held, during which the authors of the projects that had passed the first round of evaluation by the expert committee had to briefly explain why their idea was important to the community. This was followed by an evaluation to determine which ideas would proceed to the public vote in October. The evaluation was based on the following criteria: the number of people who would benefit from the idea, its impact on the urban environment, originality (i.e., a novel approach), community cooperation, and the promotion of active lifestyles. The evaluators were the authors of the ideas and experts from various fields.

From Monday's discussion, where the ideas that were part of the "Parks, Sports, and Leisure" theme group were presented, 12 ideas made it through, including the Anne Youth Center Leisure Park. A total of 25 ideas will make it to the public vote in the fall. A total of 67 ideas were submitted for this year's participatory budget.

The Tartu Youth Work Center wants to modernize the courtyard of the Anne Youth Center, which has remained unchanged since 1969. The plan is to turn the courtyard into a leisure park to promote youth activity and community integration. This is a fairly large area in Annelinn, which could be put to much better use than it has been so far. As there are many apartment buildings and the Aleksander Puškin School in the vicinity of the youth center, a well-planned place for active leisure would benefit many people. The leisure park project has been created taking into account the wishes of young people and the local community.

One of the project's goals is to offer young people opportunities for outdoor leisure activities. Young people would have the chance to jump on trampolines, practice balance on a slackline, or relax in a hammock. Additionally, there are plans to offer an extra sports opportunity for extreme sports enthusiasts in Tartu. Tähtvere Recreation Park's skatepark is constantly overcrowded and is far for young people in Annelinn. The situation could be alleviated by building a 6-meter-wide mini-ramp for beginners in Anne's yard. To extend the seasonal use, the plan includes building a canopy over the ramp. Such a ramp would also allow for guided riding lessons and and competitions, which Rulakool is ready to lead. The example of Tähtvere Skatepark shows that not only practitioners of these sports gather there, but also their friends, acquaintances, and family members, which is why a pleasant environment for spectators to spend their free time would also need to be created.

In addition, there is a desire to offer Annelinna residents a pleasant place to spend their free time or rest their feet, but why not also work remotely or study in the fresh air when the weather is nice? Among other things, there are plans to create a covered terrace where, subject to restrictions, youth center activities, public lectures, workshops, and concerts could be held outdoors. The terrace would allow for more events to be held in the garden and would enliven community life.
The Anne Youth Center Leisure Park is waiting for votes and support from all supporters of the idea in the autumn vote!

Further information:
Margit Kink
Tartu Youth Work Centre
Manager of Anne Youth Centre
margit.kink@raad.tartu.ee
5886 4802

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