Beautiful parks have been created around the world, even in the desert

What comes to mind when you hear the words “culture, recreation, park”? And what about the name “Rainis”? Put the words together, and you get the Rainis Culture and Recreation Park. It is simply a pity for the great Latvian writer, who deserves a more worthy place than the neglected park in Rēzekne. A question for the city fathers: how can one enjoy recreation and culture in this area of neglect and disrepair? By stopping at the beautiful and expensive toilet, or at the amusement area with metal huts on stilts? If one were to calculate the money spent on these structures, it would be enough to build even a new open-air stage (although I fail to see much point in one), since all events take place elsewhere. There is no point in building an open-air stage for two events a year. It will be another waste of money.

Everywhere in the world, parks have beautiful flower beds, sculptures and recreation areas. Our mayor and his wife visited Dubai. There, in the desert and the sand, people have created beautiful parks and squares. Here in Latvia, everyone admires Cēsis, Kuldīga and Ventspils.

Rēzekne will soon become associated with being a city of athletes—just a collection of sports facilities. But how many residents of Rēzekne actually do sport—five or ten thousand? And what about the rest—young children and pensioners? Perhaps they are supposed to visit the tennis court and the ice rink. Do the others not deserve to relax in beautiful surroundings? Where is the city architect or landscape architect? Councillors, get out of your cars and walk! You have travelled and know what tourists like. People travel, look around and compare. What is there to show in Rēzekne apart from GORS and ZEIMUĻS? In your mind, walk along Latgales Street, through Festival Park and along the pedestrian promenade… What excites, attracts or inspires you in these places? There is no overall concept. It looks very poor and tasteless, and does not inspire at all. And take a walk through Rainis Park. It is shameful to have such a park within the city.