The first stage of reconstruction and clearing of the debris left from the demolition of the Monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders at Victory Park in Riga may cost between five to six million euros, said Riga’s Mayor Mārtiņš Staķis in an interview to Latvijas Radio on Monday, the 6th of March.
The politician added that there are plans to make the park into a location for active leisure. It is planned to inform residents of more detailed plans soon.
Staķis mentioned that the contracted construction company plans to start reconstruction work this spring. He promised a fence around the reconstruction area to be established around the 9th of May.
As for the recommendations provided by Riga Monuments Council to demolish or move six other monuments in the city, including the monument dedicated to writer Andrejs Upītis in Kronvalds Park, the sculpture dedicated to «Stalinist era writer» Anna Sakse on Gaujas Street and the monument dedicated to Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin in Kronvalds Park, as they are believed to be «glorifying the Soviet era», Staķis promised to address the topic of monuments with «cool head».
Riga’s mayor stressed Riga City Council receives similar proposals nearly every week, adding that no decisions have been made in regards to any specific monuments as of yet. He mentioned that the decision from Riga Monuments Council was a recommendation and was made by a margin of only one vote.
He allowed that Upītis’ monument, for example, may be moved, because once the Hall of Congress has been remodelled into an acoustic concert hall, it would make more sense to put a monument to a musician in the area instead.
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