Implementation of Citizen Projects: Insights into Almaty's Financing Strategy

Revamped Renovation Boom in Almaty's Neighborhoods

It's a blooming cityscape in Almaty as 55 community courtyards undergo a facelift! These makeovers come courtesy of a pilot project, an initiative sparked by residents' requests. Right now, you'll see landscaping transformations taking place: sports facilities and kids' playgrounds sprouting up, and parks getting green makeovers. It's all part of the city's socio-economic development and the "Budget of Participation" project, according to Almaty.tv.

Last year alone, a staggering 1.4 billion tenge was injected into Almaty through the "Budget of Participation" project. For instance, a delightful little park surfaced on Rybakova Street in the Almaly District—it's still under development and will be completed by week's end.

Speaking of the project, Anna Bolshinskaya, the deputy director of the contracting company, shared her insights, "We spent three months crafting a beautiful brick path, planting vibrant maples, hydrangeas, and laying down lush lawns, but the crown jewel has to be the breathtaking wooden bridge we constructed!"

Residents, like Yulia Ugriumova from the Almaly District, were a bit taken aback by the rapid changes, but pleasantly surprised by the slew of new playgrounds. She beamed, "These streets are buzzing with children on scooters and bicycles! We're thrilled—a big thank you to the akimat for building these beautiful playgrounds!"

Recently, the Esentai River's adjacent territory was refurbished under the "Budget of Participation" project. A sports ground, recreation area, and skate park were reconstructed, with benches replaced throughout. The spark for these improvements originated from the residents themselves, who frequent these locales. According to officials, residents have the option to take on the responsibility of repairing their own courtyard or sports ground under the program.

Almas Batanov, head of the city's Strategy and Budget Department, shed some light on the project's origin, "We launched this landscaping project last year, aiming to allocate a budget for next year. In total, many facilities are set to be revamped under the 'Budget of Participation' project."

According to Batanov, a substantial 800 million tenge has been allocated for each district this year—double last year's budget. Residents can submit their own city landscaping project proposals on the website budget.open-almaty.kz.

While a direct mention of a "Budget of Participation" project related to community courtyard renovations or public space improvements was not found in available search results, the ongoing developments and budget allocations in Almaty hint at an increased focus on revitalizing the city's infrastructure and engaging its residents in the process.

The revitalization of community courtyards in Almaty has led to the construction of new playgrounds and outdoor-living spaces, contributing to a vibrant lifestyle within the city.
As part of the transformation, various buildings within these neighborhoods are being updated, with some even including the addition of a rustic wooden bridge.
In addition to the landscape overhauls, residents can now enjoy a variety of home-and-garden plants, such as hydrangeas, maples, and lush lawns, which provide a welcome touch of nature to the urban environment.
Despite the rapid pace of change, Almaty continues to prioritize the budgeting of funds for these types of renovation and revitalization projects, with a tenge-billion investment towards community courtyards slated for the upcoming year.