Dreaming of Chisinau City
Now that Moldova is living the frenzy of local elections, it is in vogue to talk about how Chisinau City can be transformed into a more beautiful, developed, comfortable, friendly European capital city. As many as 19 candidates to Chisinau Mayor’s Office are sharing their visions about Chisinau, so I thought the City’s residents and visitors could share their visions as well. I invite the readers of this blog who live and/or visited Chisinau to contribute with their own thoughts and ideas. Your contributions will be used by a Czech student studying Architecture in Italy who is preparing for his master thesis a project derived from a recently approved Chisinau Masterplan (or the General Urban Plan) which can be accessed here in Romanian.
I’ll go first. After traveling extensively in many cities, I think that Chisinau as a whole and its districts in particular lack an identity. It is a little bit of everything scattered everywhere. Therefore, some deal of organization will help. From commercial redevelopment perspective, it would be good to have clearly established functional areas where various industries (entertainment/showbusiness, cultural, fashion, mass-media, restaurants, public administration, international and non-profit organizations) can develop fast, and benefit from agglomeration effects. I’d like to see thematic locations, such as Newspapers’ Square, TV Center or Music Street, each with own unique identities. I’d like to be able to go clothes shopping in a beautiful pedestrian area with plenty of vegetation, fountains and street cafés.
Chisinau is a prisoner of cars, therefore I’d love to see Chisinau become a bicycle-friendly city. For the initial stage, it would be great to have specially-marked roads leading to the major parks and recreation areas. The Bic River is severely underdeveloped. As I live in its proximity, I wish it would be transformed into a modern well-lit riverside recreation area, or a romantic riverwalk with boats, cafes and nice little shops.
This is, briefly, Chisinau City of my dreams. Who's next?
Comments:
You got my vote :)
I totally agree with you in what regards the lack of recreation areas and identity.
If I'm not mistaken there was an idea a couple of years ago to make August 31 str. a pedestrian street. I think it was a great idea taking into consideration the unique (at least for Chisinau) spirit of it (a lot of historical buildings, very nice trees along the street, the park, etc.) However, the idea didn't work and we have what we have...
Lucia, developing your idea of functional areas, I think Chisinau would benefit from having a specially organized cultural area. You walk on the streets and marvel at the crafts market near the Eminescu theatre, and one wishes to see more of it, except.. people don't know where to start searching. Unless you are living in Chisinau, there is little chance to find that great indian store on Tighina street, or the place and time where people gather to "consume" poetry.. i'd love to see that in Chisinau. I'd probably become a permanent resident of that world!
I have always thought that Chisinau needs to create and freely distribute maps showing each bus, trolley and rutiera route in the city. It takes me so long to find how to get anywhere new in the city, and when businesses tell me, "Take the 160," I have no idea where to pick up the 160. This isn't just an American saying this; a lot of Moldovans I talk to find rutiera routes just through word of mouth, hoping that the fifth acquaintance they ask will know how to get from Point A to Point B. This is great for taxi drivers who benefit from having more customers, but it's bad for everyone else who's lost as hell in the city.
Please, let first go all "good corrupt" people from Chisinau Centre LEAVE the country and than it will be NO problem to make from Chisinau a special attactif city. It has all the potential, just too many "IDIOTS" still running around to whome the actual situation is in there favor.
Let all drivers follow a "Schengen drivers license" and there will be 80% less cars, reflecting no more parking problems, less polution ...........
BUT ............... IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN
you are talking about the Bic river.
I want to kayak from the Dnjester to the capital of Moldova, Chisinau.
Is this posiible, is there enough water is Summer??
A few weeks ago we had a holidayfair overhere in Holland, but the people from the TouristBoard from Moldava could not help me out.
hope you can be of help for me