Citizens Improve Communities While Protecting Their Heritage
Valentyna Opilat, a pensioner from Sadivniche district on Khortytsya Island, a nature reserve located in the center of Zaporizhia, recently installed gas heating in her home. “Gas is much better than firewood or coal for heating,” she says. “It is cleaner and it saves me time and money.”
Valentyna is not the only person in Sadivniche to have come to this conclusion. Last year, gas heating was installed in every house in the village after Valentyna and other residents suggested it to their local government. And this year, the boiler house that serves Khortytsya Island will also switch to cleaner fuel, which will not only save the citizens and city government money, but will also help protect the island’s environment.
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An aerial view of Khortytsia Island
Photo Credit: Sergiy Klymenko |
The seed for such change was planted back in November 2005, when the Community Connections Alumni Association Journalism Union formed the Sichova Rada as a part of a USAID-supported Eurasia Foundation project entitled “Community Involvement in Administrative Reform in Zaporizhzhia.” The project encouraged NGOs and the public to participate in local government decision-making. Sichova Rada, or the Sich Council, includes scientists, NGO representatives and business leaders among its members, and makes policy and development recommendations to local authorities based on public discussions. Switching to gas heating was one of those recommendations.
Khortytsya Island is a historic landmark, which makes Zaporizhia unique. No other city in Ukraine has a National Park in its center. The city of Zaporizhzhia does not have the authority to make decisions about land use in this protected area. Yet, a portion of the island is inhabited by city residents, and it is unclear to whom these residents should address questions concerning property, social or environmental issues. Sichova Rada provided residents the means to discuss these issues and offer solutions to local authorities and the national parks administration.
Based on the results of a local survey of residents, and suggestions and comments at public discussions, Sichova Rada recommended that the National Park administration and the city government jointly develop a plan to improve inhabited historical preserves while protecting the island’s historical and cultural heritage. They also recommended plans for development in the Khortytsya National Park in 2007, which would improve upon a similar program from 2006. Residents challenged their government to discontinue or minimize construction that could damage or destroy historical and cultural objects; to continue restoring historical objects and give them protected legal status; to restore the island’s coast, home to many archaeologically important sites; and to increase security in the nature reserve, especially during the spring flower blossom season, a popular time for tourists.
Installing clean gas heating in residents’ homes was merely the first of many successes for the Sichova Rada. Its action helped the citizens of Zaporizhzhia understand that communities can have a real influence on their government. The work begun continues today, even with the conclusion of the Eurasia Foundation project. On January 18, citizens of another Zaporizhzhia district, Borodyn, began their own discussion on ways to improve their district. Sichova Rada has shown that transparent decision-making and active community involvement can help build constructive dialogue and collaboration between government, business, community groups and individual citizens and lead to improvements that can only benefit all involved.
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