Akim of Almaty City B. Baibek and Sponsor B. Utemuratov Were Acquainted with Reconstruction Progress of Main Botanic Garden

Akim of Almaty city Baurzhan Baibek and sponsor and businessman Bulat Utemuratov visited the Main Botanic Garden for acquaintance with its reconstruction progress.
Surveying the facilities under construction, Bulat Utemuratov paid attention of the contracting construction firms to the fact that the Botanic Garden is the public space, favorite place of walks of Almaty residents and guests, so, quality of works and longevity of results must have precedence. He charged to perform works right on time and in an honest manner. “Build so as you would build for yourself. This project should be exemplary,” the sponsor concluded.
B. Baibek and B. Utemuratov examined the samples of road pavement and made a variety of comments concerning quality of material and carefulness of laying.
Currently, the drilling of two water-well holes has been completed in the Botanic Garden in order to produce water required for watering the plants and the construction of the West entry pavilion from the side of Atakent Kazakhstan Center of Business Cooperation has been started. In the nearest time, the construction of water intake structure from the Kerenkulak River (southward of Al-Farabi Avenue), the North and South entry pavilions and the replacement of border stones and irrigation ditch trays will be started. The next stage will be the creation of new ponds, renewal of road pavements, assembly of lanterns of lower lighting and video monitoring network, replacement of outdoorsy-garden furniture and fences, installation of navigation indicators. Separate task within the framework of the project is to create the conditions for comfort visiting the Garden by handicapped people; for this purpose, wheelchair ramps and tactile paths for sightless and visually impaired people are provided for. For flora replenishment, about 1000 new trees, dozens of thousands bushes and flowers will be planted within the framework of reconstruction.
General Director and Managing Partner of Verny Capital Group of Companies Yerlan Ospanov, who manages the reconstruction project, noted positive experience of cooperation with the Akimat of Almaty city when telling about the work progress. In particular, thanks to support of the city administration, the water intake structure from the Kerenkulak River will be constructed, as well as the alternate motor-road has been laid from Al-Farabi Avenue to the future South entry of the Botanic Garden. “The project has entered the active stage; works for creation of sprinkler and irrigation system have been started, the old infrastructure is dismantled and construction of entry elements is prepared in strict compliance with the ecological standards taking into account the special status of the Botanic Garden,” he commented.
Bulat Utemuratov and Baurzhan Baibek became acquainted with the process of erection of the West pavilion directly at the site, wherein preliminary operations for concrete casting of foundation are carried out in the pit. The West pavilion is constructed on the border between the Botanic Garden and Atakent Kazakhstan Center of Business Cooperation; its area will be 160 square meters. Pay-office, entrance turngates and lavatories will be in the pavilion.
Initiator of the reconstruction of the Almaty Botanic Garden became the Bulat Utemuratov’s Foundation with the support of the Institute of Botany and Phytointroduction. The main principle of the project is the cautious reconstruction with preservation of the integrity and distinctive character of the Garden. The goal of the project is restoration and modernization of the garden infrastructure and augmentation of green resources. Granting easy access and provision of comfortable stay in the Botanic Garden for the city residents and guests of the megapolis and demonstration of Kazakhstan scientists’ achievements in the field of preservation of the botanic diversity and plants introduction is provided for.
The project initiators adhere to a principle of openness during reconstruction of the Botanic Garden. The concept and master plan of reconstruction were presented to the general public at specially organized hearings on June 28, 2018. On September 26, 2018, the reconstruction sketch plan was presented, taking into account the recommendations and wishes of the participants of the hearings. This year three public hearings have been already conducted on the assessment of environmental impact of individual components of the project: construction of entry pavilions, reconstruction of heat networks as well as construction of water intake structure from the Kerenkulak River. Moreover, the Bulat Utemuratov’s Foundation regularly informs about the progress of reconstruction via mass media and at specially created pages in social networks Facebook and Instagram (pages: Main Botanic Garden Reconstruction), where any user may provide feedback or a wish or ask a question.