Trostyanetska hromada: industrial and tourist cluster
The Trostyanetska urban amalgamated hromada was established in the Sumy Oblast in 2017. Having a solid financial foundation, after amalgamation, Trostyanets received a powerful strategic development resource. This hromada embodies projects that are qualitatively and geographically beyond its borders. To find more about this visit Ukraїner:
Hromada
The Trostyanetska urban AH includes the city of Trostyanets and four villages. The total hromada population is almost 22 thousand people. The AH budget has grown fourfold in two years – to almost UAH 200 million. The development budget, which the hromada directs to parks, hospitals, schools, sports facilities, etc., is also growing. Yuriy Bova, head of the Trostyanetska AH says that according to the perspective plan, 11 more village councils should join the hromada.
Trostyanets continues to work within the framework of a strategy developed for the city in 2007. This year, they will have to approve the AH development strategy, that will determine the directions to build up villages of this AH:
- The city has the following priorities: jobs, investment, infrastructure development and tourism.
In the autumn of 2018, the “Card of the Trostyanetska AH resident" began to operate in Trostyanets, which allows the privileged categories of citizens to use public transport for free.
In order for utility services to quickly find out about malfunctions in the city and respond accordingly, the Trostyanetska AH uses the Open City platform. With its help, residents can point to the place where the problem occurred for the utility company to solve it within three days.
The Open City system is created as a platform for the whole of Ukraine. The hromada pays UAH 35 thousand a year to the Open Cities Association, which supports various electronic services. Yuriy Bova says that in addition to this platform, the hromada introduced a lot of digital services: online broadcasting of city council sessions, electronic document circulation, etc.
Comfortable yard
For more than 10 years Trostyanets has been modernising communal infrastructure and implementing energy-saving technologies. By 2008 all apartment buildings in the city were transferred to individual heating. All roofs were repaired, house pipes replaced and movement-reacting smart lighting systems set up.
Most yards do not have garbage containers. The garbage truck arrives according to a clear schedule, signals, and residents bring their garbage. People decided that such a system is more convenient for them. According to Yuriy Bova, 98% of residents signed garbage removal contracts. After amalgamation, the hromada began to transport waste from the villages on the city tariff.
Trostyanets also implements a Comfortable Home ladscaping programme.
Yuriy Bova has been mayor of Trostyanets since 2005. He is convinced that every hromada citizen must learn to respect the environment in which he or she lives and take responsibility for its development, since now every hromada competes for investments, jobs and people.
The AH has a separate economic department involved in grant projects. In course of its work the department received funding for about 20 projects: an inclusive ground, restoration of architectural monuments, creation of an educational centre, etc. According to Yuriy Bova, the hromada is constantly looking for new solutions and ideas:
In his spare time, Yuriy travels to other countries, studying their accomplishment experience. From these trips, the mayor brings ideas he gradually implements in Trostyanets.
Large business
The chocolate factory "Ukraine" started working in Trostyanets in 1974. In 1994, this company became part of the international Kraft Foods corporation (since 2012 the company is called Mondelez International). The factory performs a complete cycle of cocoa beans processing. In addition, since 2005 there is a coffee packing unit, and from 2011 – a cookies production unit. The company employs more than 1000 people.
Hromada head says that the enterprise has a good level of remuneration and social security.
Modern hospital
In early 2018, the Trostyanetska hromada, in addition to the primary healthcare facilities, took the rayon hospital on its balance. It serves nearly 40,000 patients. Over half a year, major repairs have been carried out in the therapeutic department, while the renovation of the gynecological and maternity departments are ongoing. By 2022, the AH plans to complete repairs throughout the hospital.
The community has renovated the X-ray unit in the hospital and together with the oblast administration bought a new device.
The Trostyanetska AH plans to thermo-modernise the entire five-story hospital in order to provide people with comfortable conditions and save on energy consumption.
New classrooms and library
A large share of the AH budget goes to education. In addition to the maintenance of schools and kindergartens, Trostyanets invests in the renovation of classrooms, new equipment and software.
Yuriy Bova says that the hromada is able to rationally use the state educational subvention and save funds for development projects. MozaBook software has been purchased to teach natural sciences in schools, which allows displaying complex phenomena and mechanisms in 3D or video format. Besides, the hromada introduces an electronic diary system, which helps parents learn about the success of children in real time.
In 2018, on the occasion of the Trostyanets City Day, an renovated public library was opened. Lyudmyla Yefremova, director of the library, says that the institution has an electronic catalog and e-card reader.
In addition to the reading room, the library plans to arrange a coworking centre, communication halls, multimedia hall-transformer for events, and a children's zone. The head of the Trostyanetska AH tells about the concept of a social cafe, that will also work in the library.
In summer of 2018, the Inclusive-Resource Centre for children with disabilities started operating in Trostyanets. Specialists of the institution provide children with psychological and pedagogical assistance, as well as promote their social adaptation.
Tourism development
The tourist attractions of Trostyanets include the Golitsyn palace built in the 18th century. Today, this cultural complex combines a local lore museum, an art gallery and a museum of chocolate. One of the rooms was equipped for classical music concerts.
Every year Trostyanets holds art plein air events, where artists present their works to the city. The paintings are exhibited in the Golitsyn palace gallery.
The estate was visited by the well-known composer Peter Tchaikovsky.
The chocolate museum appeared in this cultural complex in 2012. It has exhibits telling about the history of chocolate and the process of its production.
Another XVIII century architectural monument of Trostyanets is the Round House. It holds mass events as the East Rock Music Festival, the Tchaikovsky Festival and the Old Fortress Historical Festival.
The Trostyanets park named after Peter Tchaikovsky was turned into a leisure centre. The park is divided into the recreation area, children's zone and a sports area.
Youth and professional sport
The Trostyanetska AH seeks to transform the Volodymyr Kuts city stadium into a modern sports complex. In spring of 2019, a new football field with artificial cover was opened next to the stadium in the framework of the reconstruction.
This material was created with the support of U-LEAD with Europe: Ukraine – Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development Programme, co-funded by the European Union and its member countries Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Poland and Sweden.
The full version is available in Ukrainian – please click HERE
Share the news: