Residents of Atyrau are raising the alarm over the dire condition of an ancient building that is a historical and cultural site. Civic activists have called for measures to save it, and the city administration has responded on whether that is possible, infohub.kz reports.
According to the TV channel, the old structure in Atyrau is literally falling apart before people's eyes. In 1917, it housed the first Council of Deputies, and later the building was used as a polyclinic. Today the walls are covered in cracks, and the surrounding area is not even fenced off.
Civic activist Nurlan Zhunasov is convinced that such sites must be restored and preserved.
"In Atyrau, yes, there are plenty of 19th-century buildings, but they are all in this deplorable condition. Can't we preserve it, just carry out some kind of reconstruction? It's only 10 by 10 meters. Nearby we see good buildings going up—make it beautiful and develop tourism, well, open some kind of museum; it's history, after all. This building is over 100 years old, from the 19th century," civic activist Nurlan Zhunasov said.
The relevant department assures that there are no plans to demolish the historical and cultural site. The building has now been transferred to the city's communal ownership. A proposal to carry out reconstruction has also been submitted.
"Since 2013, this building has been included in the state list of historical and cultural monuments of Atyrau Region. Unfortunately, it is now in this condition. The building is currently in the communal ownership of Atyrau. Until the restoration issue is resolved, we have proposed at least fencing off the area around the site," said Tolybai Dosybaev, head of the regional center for the study of historical and cultural heritage.
Previously, the dilapidated building was transferred to entrepreneurs under trust management, but the necessary work was never carried out. The city administration explains that the main problem is the high cost of restoration. After activists raised the issue again, the building's doors and windows were closed.
"Full restoration of the building will require significant funds. The question of its technical condition is now especially urgent. The city administration is considering the necessary measures to ensure the preservation of the historical monument and its proper maintenance in accordance with legal requirements," said Erkenaz Kalizhan, press secretary of the Atyrau city akim.
In total, seven historical and cultural sites in Atyrau are under state protection. Only three have received a positive conclusion from the Ministry of Culture for restoration. The rest remain alone with time for now.