On March 6 and March 7, 2019, project management group meeting and thematic workshop took place in Telsiai.

Brownfields territories – from imperfection to perfection – lively discussions in Telsiai

 

Participation on the INTERREG V – A Latvia – Lithuania cross – border cooperation programme project “LLI-303 “Life in Clean Environment – a Better Future” ( “Clean brownfields”) has resulted in new experience and knowledge, new list of contacts about brownfields and their regeneration, conluded project partners after the two days meeting in Telsiai.

On March 6 project partners met to discuss the project progress, next day on March 7  lead partners ( LP ) of all projects approved under specific objective 1.3. “To regenerate public areas with environmental problems” joined “Clean Brownfields” project partners for a thematic workshop.

The two days meeting was smoothly organized by Kaunas Regional Development Agency.

Project management group meeting was opened by the project manager Sarmīte Ozoliņa who analysed the project progress, including time plan and planned and actual project budget spendings. Except for some infrastructure investments, all the other project activities are implemented according to the planned. There have been delays with public procurement and, hence, deviations  with some infrastructure investments. Partners were urged to monitor very carefully all technicalities to follow time plan of the project.

Project partners continued with their presentations on the actual situation and future steps. Infrastructure investment activities have been completed in Ruba, Saldus County Municipality and Skrunda, Skrunda County Municipality. The works have been started in Ugāle, Ventspils County Municipality, the contract about works has been signed in Kuldīga to be completed this year.

Lithuanian partners – Klaipeda District Municipality, Telsiai District Municipality, Administration of Kaunas City Municipality are active in different stages of work at  public procurement documentation or public procurement process.

Building of football stadium in Kaunas, cleaning and regeneration of a territory for future business needs in Telsiai, preparation of technical documentation for the former gravel quarries territory near Gargzdai, Klaipeda district, are the results to be reached when the work is finished.

The first day was concluded with a quided tour in Telsiai, the old part of the city, the attention was paid to renovating of historical buildings, regeneration of former neglected territories, revitalization of area around Mastis lake and the newly built amphitheatre at the lake, usage of EU funding to renovate and regenerate historical territories.

On the second day LPs of all the projects acquainted with relevant project activities and experience at project management and implementation.

Representative of Lithuania National Geological Survey presented the Lithuanian and European situation about polluted and potentially polluted territories, degraded territories, their registration system and monitoring.

The experience was shared among:

LLI-303 “Clean Brownfields”, LP – Kurzeme Planning Region, LLI-325 “Innovative Brownfield Regeneration for Sustainable Development of Cross – Border Regions”, LP – Latvia University of Agriculture, LLI-386 “Transformation from Slum to Shick”, LP – Euroregion “Country of Lakes”,  LLI-373 “Public Urban Areas Regeneration in Šilute and Saldus”, LP – Šilute District Municipality, LLI-408 “Regeneration, Development and Maintenance of Public Areas with Environmental Problems”, LP – Dobele County Municipality.  Project partners appreciated live meeting, open discussions, useful experience, icluding innovative methods, for example, application of phytoremediation within the project of Latvia University of Agriculture. Project partners did not avoid information about various challenges faced and advice how to solve them.

The day was concluded with group work and lively discussions on the main challenges to deal with brownfield territories, possible solutions/ needs for local and regional authorities, proposals how cross-border projects could more benefit from each other concerning planning and competencies. Participants of the discussion agreed that thematic work generated new ideas, useful experience, committment to carry out thorough investigation of the brownfields. Participants also agreed that more public involvement is needeed to generate new ideas for best possible usage of brownfield territories; meetings in live with similar project leaders to be continued.

 

Next “Clean Brownfields” project seminar in April in Liepaja, project management group meeting and thematic workshop in September in Ventspils County.

 

More information about the project: www.kurzemesregions.lv