On the right bank of Astana، at the confluence of the Yesil River and the Akbulak Canal near Ataturk Park، one of the capital's most symbolic construction projects is underway: a territory long sealed off by high fences with barbed wire and round-the-clock security is being transformed into an open public space، reports infohub.kz.
The site at 18 Zhumabek Tashenev Street once housed a luxurious private residence with a pool، sauna، and private water access، legally owned by the company Transaktsiya، whose founder was Dariga Nazarbayeva. The large mansion and adjacent abandoned former nursing home blocked residents from walking directly from the Ataturk Park embankment toward Triathlon Park. To get around the waterside estate، people had to crawl under the fence at the river's edge.
In January 2025، demolition of Dariga Nazarbayeva's mansion began. By May 2025، the building، pool، and annexes were razed and the site leveled. Recent footage shows the era of closed "elite dead ends" on the right bank is over: construction workers have not only removed the fences but also landscaped the riverbank.
On the embankment section along Tashenev Street (bordering Ataturk Park)، renovation work is fully complete. New high-quality paving stones have been laid، minimalist black light fixtures and modern eco-style wooden benches installed. This stretch is now fully open for walking. Also on the site، the upscale residential complex Swiss Collection is being built، featuring hotel apartments، underground parking، and an educational center.
The key feature of the new embankment is a new pedestrian bridge over the Akbulak Canal. It connects the Tashenev Street embankment with the Akbulak-1 neighborhood and Triathlon Park. As Kursiv's investigation revealed، the contract for the bridge construction worth 4.5 billion tenge was awarded to Transaktsiya، a company linked to the assets of the former president's eldest daughter. The Astana akimat plans to fully complete the area's landscaping and open through traffic on the bridge by 2026.
Astana Mayor Zhenis Kassymbek has repeatedly commented on the site's fate. In November 2024، he promised that the walkway along the embankment near Nazarbayeva's former mansion would remain open. In December 2025، the mayor confirmed these plans، stating that after the completion of the bridge over the Akbulak Canal، the area will be fully open to pedestrians.