Tallinn local activities and trans-European initiatives

1. Tallinn local activities and trans-European initiatives Roundtable of the Association of Estonian Cities 23 May 2006 Translation of the Presentation as Contribution to Estonian presentation, Session C03 22.03.2007, Sevilla Jüri Ratas, Mayor of Tallinn

2. Edgar Kant about the city One of the first systematic city researchers Edgar Kant said 80 years ago: „The city must be seen simultaneously as a whole and as a set of single elements. The city must be treated as a living creature!” These sentences have a deep meaning also today, but are much too often neglected and forgotten.

3. The position of Tallinn From bird’s eye view Tallinn is situated on a 158 km2 large east-west stretched bow tie- or butterfly-shaped territory. According to the population registry, Tallinn has slightly less than 400 000 citizens.

4. Tallinn as people magnet Tallinn is a very strong people magnet not only for the bordering parishes, but for the whole of Estonia. Tallinn offers: • a wide range of working and earning opportunities • multiple opportunities for good education and cultural activities • possibilities for self-realization and career • easier access to working abroad. The reasons listed above are the main explanation for many Estonians’ wish to come live in Tallinn.

5. Out of the city • At the same time, wealthy residents have a strong urge to move outside the city. • About 9000 construction sites have been planned for building new homes in the parishes bordering the city, plus there are appr. 5000 summer cottages, which their owners intend to rebuild for year-round use. • Thus there is a realistic prognosis for about 14 000 new dwelling houses to appear in Tallinn’s vicinity • (for appr.50 000). Tiskre residential area

6. Registration campaign We have started a campaign for every person who lives and works in the city to register him or herself as the citizen of Tallinn in the City Population registry. We consider the present number of citizens (400,000) optimal and do not foresee considerable increase in this number.

7. Rural identity threatened • The establishment of new residences in the city surroundings causes the replacement of the formerly dominant village milieu and lifestyle by a new, comfortable urban lifestyle. • In their development,the city’s hinterland is transformed into near-urban environment, because new residents will not settle for less convenience than in the city. • Thus the difference between the lifestyle in the city and it’s hinterland will start to disappear quickly and the city and the country will merge. • This is an irretrievable loss for our rural identity.

8. Problems with infrastructure At the same time not enough jobs are created in the hinterland , the social infrastructure does not satisfy the growing need for kindergarten places, schools, service providers etc., which forces residents to commute between home and the city, which in turn causes heavy traffic flow and jams twice a day. Examples are not difficult to find: Tartu road, Rannamõisa road, Pirita road. In order to solve the problem, Tallinn, its neighbouring municipalities and the State should jointheir efforts.

9. Not everyone can adapt • Not everyone who comes to Tallinn can adapt to it. • Furthermore, not everyone comes here with good intentions – people who have not succeeded in life, people who are part of risk groups, i.e. alcoholics, desease-carriers and -spreaders and so on come here to search for better fortune. • This creates the need to increase the city’s expenditures on medical and social care, fight against the crime etc. The shelter of Kauge street

10. Tallinn’s connection with it’s hinterland • Tallinn is connected to it’s hinterland - the neighbouring municipalities - also by technical infrastructue, first and foremost by the water and sewerage systems. • Tallinn surface water system is appr. 2000 km2, of which appr. 95% is located in Harjumaa county. The maintenance and sanitary safety of the waterworks, i.e. Vaskjala dam and reservoir, Pirita –Ülemiste canal, Soodla reservoir and Jägala-Pirita canal, is a top priority both for the city of Tallinn and surrounding municipalities. Heitvee cleaning equipment in Paljassaare

11. About the city space • In the last 10 years Tallinn city space has become much more attractive due to the construction of numerous new buildings (banks, shopping centers etc.) and to the renovation of old buildings. • We have taken under close scrutiny old, crumbling and fire-hazardous buildings and demand that their owners repair or knock them down.

12. Unfinished land reform • Land and property reform is not yet finished in Tallinn. • 54% of city territory is registered in the cadastral register. • Appr. 9 % of city territory belongs to the city, 33 % is private property and 58 % is State owned.

13. Attractive Tallinn Besides the Old Town, Tallinn has many more historical buildings and sights of interest: • Patarei prison • Hydroplane hangars • Tondi military barracks • Ruins of Pirita Nunnery (to be restored and given to public use) • The city district of Põhja-Tallinn offers the most opprtunities to city planners and architects. So far its development has been rather unremarkable, but because of its seaside location and ample development opportunities, in the near future it will become very popular with real estate developers.

14. Tallinn – port city In Tallinn there is 46,2 km of attractive coastline with 16 ports and quays.

15. Environmental problems We have started the city environmental safety programme: we plan to put an end to processing and storing hazardous waste in the city and re-route hazardous transit away from the city. There are no easy or fast solutions to these problems, however, our top priority is ensuring our citizens´ safety. We have launched a waste management programme, there is a modern waste dump in Jõelähtme, the city has an effective waste collection and recycling scheme.

16. Green areas Tallinn has 60 dendroloogy parks, e.g. Kadriorg Park, which celebrates its 288th anniversary this year; historical gardens, 3 natural landscape reserves and 3 Natura 2000 hoiuala. Appr. 35% of city territory is public green areas, of which 11% is city forests, 12 % public parks, 9 % reserve land, 2 % cemeteries and 2 % street greenery.3627 ha of green space requires upkeeping and maintenance, only 234 ha belong to the city. We continue to lay out new parks and restore old ones. A major project is the creation of the city national park.

17. New recreation area This year Tallinn got a new recreation area, when Paljassaare peninsula was brought into proper order and a public beach was opened, which will certainly become a summer favourite with Põhja- Tallinn inhabitants.

18. Tallinn for the European Capital of Culture As the capital city and the European Capital of Culture in 2011, Tallinn will represent the whole of Estonia. We want to share the resources available to us as the European Capital of Culture and offer all Estonian cities opportunities to showcase their best achievements in Tallinn and abroad. To us our candidacy for the European Capital of Culture tiltle sets goals beyond culture and towards the improvement of urban environment as a whole.

19. European Green Capital Initiative • On Tallinn Day representatives of 17 European cities signed the European Green Capital Memorandum to establish the nomination. • In addition to them, at the IV Conference of Strasbourg Club, 9 more mayors of European cities signed the Memorandum and 9 more subscribed to send their letters of support by mail. • Hereby I thank representatives of all cities who supported our pan-european initiative and reassured us its implementation is useful to large and small municipalities alike.

20. Thank you for your attention!