On July 29th, we finally did it: as a team and community, we gathered for the Green Cleanup (Toloka in Ukrainian) at Horodyshche! Check out the photos and impressions below. We want to express our gratitude to all the partners who helped make this Cleanup happen, especially to the "EcoLand" plant nursery, which allowed us to plant Cornelian cherry.
"Give me a chainsaw!"
This time, the Nashe place team closely monitored the weather forecast daily, periodically making anxious calls and developing Plan B alongside Plan A. But then, Saturday arrives, and we're all standing together on the porch of the Local History Museum, unable to spot a single cloud in the sky. It's indeed a delight. However, there were no visitors, which was disappointing.
As noon approaches, tension builds up. As noon approached, some participants became pessimistic, but a few minutes later, a lively crowd arrived at the Horodyshche.
The vinyl player's tunes were almost inaudible amidst the joyful commotion, and Andriy Batin, an urbanist, designer, and co-founder of several organizations, introduced the project, the day's program, and two curators – Serhiy Khara, an ecologist and eco-education specialist, and Olexandra Kravchenko, an educator who would go on an expedition with the kids.
Within seconds after the briefing, people are spread all over Horodyshche. Tasks are quickly allocated. Some women hurry and say, "We need to get to our gardens!... and see the kids." Some participants get so engrossed in the activities that Serhiy can hardly keep up with instructions. The chainsaw and brush cutter seem particularly fascinating to people.
"It hasn't been this clean since 1967!"
Within a couple of hours, the place was unrecognizable. It's unusually crowded and... cheerful. We ask the participants about their impressions. "It hasn't been this clean since 1967!" laughs Mr. Vitaliy, the director of the Local History Museum. The museum, located at "Pyatachok," often suffers from teenagers and overly active groups. Mr. Vitaliy also talked about regular Saturday cleanups and attempts to take care of Horodyshche on his own, which often failed due to the abovementioned people.
The rest of the participants took a break on bales, discussing pizza and how they would use the area. A group of girls assured us they would come here for lunch as long as it's warm.
The kids were busy with a serious task: they're exploring and mapping the area. Their job was to see this place, its peculiarities, secrets, attractions, and mark them on the map. A dozen children of various ages (the oldest was sixteen this time, and the youngest, as the children said, "is unknown years old") were highly engaged and focused. They picked mulberries, make maps, and explore local flora.
"Last cleanup was in '93, and it was green too"
After the cleanup, the event gradually shifted from a cleanup to a networking opportunity. We met Mr. Anatoliy, a local activist who used to work in forestry. He shared, "The last cleanup here was in '93, and it was green too. I was around 30 then, like you."
Despite some green waste remaining on the site, the event was a success. We discovered several interesting locations, from the cozy lecture area with bales to clean areas near the restrooms. Our team will finalize the vision for the area and pass it to the architects for development. We'll certainly be back with announcements for upcoming events.
Join us!
