I. Metshin on the completion of the improvement of Lake Kaban: "I am sure this will be a favorite place for all residents."

      Builders have installed 1.3 km long walkways over the water

      In Kazan, at the final stage of the first phase of the improvement of the third stage of the embankment of Lake Nizhny Kaban along Shigabutdin Marjani Street, builders have nearly completed the construction of a wooden walkway over the water, are installing railings and benches, and finishing viewing platforms and stair descents. The readiness of the first phase of the third stage of the improvement of Lake Kaban is 93%. A working meeting was held the day before at the site by the Minister of Construction Marat Aizatullin and the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin.

      Photo: Denis Gordiyko

      Walks over the water and sunsets in the amphitheater: what the new space by Kaban will be like

      “The embankment of Lake Nizhny Kaban is one of the most significant and vibrant elements of the improvement of modern Kazan. In 2015, when we first started designing, it was hard to imagine how much the lake and its embankment would transform. Today, it is one of the most beloved places for Kazan residents and guests of the capital. Thanks to the support of the President of the Republic Rustam Nurgalievich Minnikhanov, we are completing the encirclement of Lake Kaban. Next year, we will face the next stage of work along Marjani Street. And today we are completing the pedestrian promenade that is over 5 kilometers long,” emphasized the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin. The most labor-intensive stage – creating a reliable foundation for the embankment – is already behind us. To strengthen the shoreline, builders have installed piles on which a metal frame for the pier has been secured – a total of 201 tons of metal structures have been installed. The project concept involves minimal intervention in the natural landscape. The main walking deck, covering more than 5,600 square meters, runs directly over the water. In places where the path descends to the ground, three “quiet zones” under willows with natural log furniture have been organized. The area will also receive a new lighting system. Poles have already been installed, and fixtures are being mounted on them. The main lighting will be built into the railings along the embankment. In the quiet zones, lights will appear on low supports, and architectural lighting for trees is planned along certain sections. A total of about 170 small architectural forms will be installed on the embankment: 156 benches, 14 trash bins, and six navigation elements. In addition, the construction of stairs and retaining walls on Zayni Sultana and Fatkullina Streets and near the bridge on Nursultan Nazarbaev Street has been completed. They will connect different levels of the embankment and provide access to the lower promenade. Viewing platforms are another key element of the project. On Kunchi and KSK Streets, readiness is about 90%. “As part of the first phase, a viewing platform will appear on KSK Street and a large viewing platform with an amphitheater on Kunchi Street. It is located at a height of about five meters, and from this height, it descends in terraces. There, one can sit in the amphitheater, admire the sunset and the city center,” noted Ilyas Gilmanov, a representative of the architectural bureau Wowhaus. Another large viewing platform is located opposite the new building of the G. Kamal Theater. It will be oriented simultaneously towards the new theater and the future fountain that will adorn Lake Kaban. The platform itself is arranged in three levels and is designed for about 1,250 people.

      At the beginning of the embankment, a hospitality center for Lake Kaban will open

      The preparation of premises for a multifunctional center is nearing completion – a hospitality center for the Kaban embankment will be created here. “Our task is to ensure that people can come to the lake and receive various services in the multifunctional center. We have identified three main categories of visitors: tourists, locals, and running athletes. Tourists are one of the key groups, but we do not forget about residents and those who come to engage in sports,” said Aigul Latypova, head of the park management. For tourists, it is planned to open a City Tourism Center and a souvenir shop where they can buy tours and audio guides. For locals, a space with a café and plenty of places to relax is provided. An outdoor screen for film screenings, lectures, and meetings will also be installed here. Separate infrastructure will be prepared for athletes: changing rooms, lockers, showers, and more. Negotiations are currently underway with potential partners, including running clubs.

      500 trees this year and another 86 next year: how the embankment is being greened

      Greening the area is one of the most extensive stages of the project. To date, over 480 trees have been planted out of the 600 planned. The dendrological plan includes more than 92,000 plants: 586 trees, over 6,600 large and 12,700 small shrubs, 12,100 perennial flowers, 5,000 spring-flowering plants, 35,000 grasses, and over 20,000 aquatic plants. “I am confident that this will become a favorite place for all residents. Families will come here with guests – to walk, enjoy, and engage in sports. Everything is in place for this. And for the first time, we are planting 600 large trees. This is a true necklace along the water surface – something we have long dreamed of, and our predecessors did too. Thank you to the President of the Republic for such support, for this gift to the residents of Kazan for City Day and Republic Day,” concluded Ilsur Metshin. The greening program is designed for two phases of improvement. Part of the 92,000 plants will be planted next year, as part of the second phase – including the remaining 86 trees. The concept combines decorative and natural landscapes. In part of the Old Tatar Sloboda, a “Blooming Shore” is being formed – decorative apple trees, lilacs, spireas, and rowans will appear here. Apple trees have already been planted: instead of the planned 63 trees, 71 have been planted. In the section from Akhtyamov Street towards Nursultan Nazarbaev Street, the concept of the “Green Shore” will be maintained: willows, bird cherries, sugar maples, dogwoods, and other plants that create a sense of a natural coastal landscape will prevail here. A feature of the project is aquatic plants. In some places, they were planted by diving specialists: the depth near the shore reaches one and a half meters, so work had to be done underwater. The main work on the first phase will be completed on August 15-16. After that, the area will be opened for full transit of visitors, and by August 30, the remaining small works are planned to be completed. This improvement will not end here. The third phase is divided into two stages, and in 2027, work will move to an area of another 3.8 hectares – the upper promenade along Shigabutdin Marjani Street. Here, the network of viewing platforms will continue to be developed, additional greening will be carried out, and a public space will be formed that will be more closely connected with the historical buildings of the Old Tatar Sloboda.

      The third phase is expected to become the final major link in the long-term project to transform the embankment of Nizhny Kaban. The new section, approximately 1.5 km long, runs along Shigabutdin Marjani Street: from Nursultan Nazarbaev Street to Zayni Sultana Street. After the project is completed, the previously improved sections of the embankment should connect into a single walking route around the lake, stretching 5 km. The history of modern Kaban began long before the current construction. In 2013, as part of the revival of the Old Tatar Sloboda, the section of Marjani Street was first improved. In 2015, an international competition was held for the concept of developing the embankments of Lake Kaban, the winner of which was the project “Elastic Ribbon.” The implementation of the project began with the first phase of the embankment – the section from the Galiaskar Kamal Theater to the “Planet Fitness” building. Walking paths, a viewing platform, and phytoremediation facilities appeared here. The second phase covered sections from Khadi Takhtasha Street to Nursultan Nazarbaev Street and part of Marjani Street in the Old Tatar Sloboda. The main work on it was completed in 2020. In 2024-2025, the section near the new building of the G. Kamal Theater will be improved.

      Anna Sadaeva