Gazprom contributing to development of comfortable urban environment in St. Petersburg
RELEASE
Release
A number of documents for the preservation of the historical and cultural legacy of St. Petersburg and further development of a modern and comfortable urban environment were signed today at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2024.
Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Alexander Beglov, Governor of St. Petersburg, signed an updated Program (Roadmap) for cooperation in the implementation of projects for social and economic development of the city.
The initial version of the document was approved in 2022. By now, a number of relevant projects have already been completed. For instance, a gas filling station of Gazprom in the settlement of Levashovo and two sports and health centers, one in the town of Pushkin and one in the Nevsky District of the city, have been opened. Urban improvements have been provided to the embankment at Europe's tallest skyscraper, the Lakhta Center. Last week, a new city tour titled Peter's Way was launched in the Petrogradsky District of St. Petersburg.
Gazprom has made a decision to undertake the implementation of new initiatives of importance to the development of St. Petersburg; this is why the Company and the city have updated the Roadmap.
The new version of the document provides for more than 60 projects and has a special focus on further comprehensive improvement of the urban areas and replacement of street lighting. For instance, a large scope of works is to be performed in the Scientific Quarter on Vasilyevsky Island.
In the Tsentralny District of the city, it is planned to, inter alia, install new fencing around the Kazan Cathedral, as well as around the mini-garden on Kazan Square. The fencing around the Kazan Cathedral will be of the same design as the existing one installed in the side driveway arch of the colonnade in the eastern part of the building. The new fencing around the mini-garden on Kazan Square will be created on the basis of the Voronikhinsky mini-garden fence, which was created in 1865 to the design of the architect Heinrich Staegemann.
Other projects include the erection of a monument to the admiral Fyodor Ushakov (on Truda Square in the Admiralteysky District) and the Triumphal Column in honor of Russia's victory in the Great Northern War (near the Lakhta Center). They will become the city's new landmarks.
Gazprom will also continue developing the sports infrastructure and expanding the network of filling stations for motor vehicles running on eco-friendly fuel in the city. For instance, the construction of new sports facilities is planned to be performed in the Kirovsky, Nevsky and Primorsky Districts, and gas filling stations are planned to be built in the Frunzensky, Kalininsky, Kolpinsky, Krasnogvardeysky, Krasnoselsky, Kurortny, Moskovsky, Nevsky, Primorsky, and Vyborgsky Districts.
An Agreement of Cooperation was signed between Alexey Miller, Alexander Beglov, Rustam Minnikhanov, Head (Rais) of the Republic of Tatarstan, and Renat Mistakhov, Director General of the Shipbuilding Corporation “Ak Bars” (Tatarstan).
The document aims to expand the use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel in the waterborne transport running in the waters of St. Petersburg.
Under the Agreement, the Shipbuilding Corporation “Ak Bars” will develop several models of natural gas-fueled vessels and prepare proposals on how to ensure their further service maintenance. The Government of Tatarstan will support the plant in dealing with organizational matters.
The Government of St. Petersburg will elaborate support measures for the enterprises that operate natural gas-fueled vessels in the city waters. Gazprom will provide support in creating bunkering (refueling) stations for such vessels and ensuring the supplies of NGV fuel for the operators.
Background
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2024 is being held at the EXPOFORUM Convention and Exhibition Centre from June 5 to 8. The main theme of this year's Forum is “The Formation of New Areas of Growth as the Cornerstone of a Multipolar World.”
Gazprom and the Government of St. Petersburg sign cooperation contracts in furtherance of the Agreement of Cooperation concluded between them.
The Company and the city are also bound by the Coordination Agreement between the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Government of St. Petersburg and Gazprom on the development of the industrial potential of St. Petersburg for the needs of the gas industry and the Agreement of Cooperation between the Government of St. Petersburg and Gazprom aimed at expanding the use of LNG as a vehicle fuel in St. Petersburg.
Since 2007, with support from Gazprom, renovation works have been performed on over 100 streets, mini-gardens, embankments and squares, including the installation of more than 19,000 street lamps. Inter alia, since early 2024, replacement of lighting has been completed in the historical center of St. Petersburg: on Dumskaya Street and Perinnaya Line, in the pedestrian area along the Gostiny Dvor, on Pushkin Street, and in the central alley of Konnogvardeysky Boulevard. Architectural lighting was arranged for the Church of the Epiphany in the Kirovsky District.
Gazprom supports the largest restoration projects in St. Petersburg: works are underway to restore the Zubov Wing in the Catherine Palace at the Tsarskoe Selo Museum and the restoration of the Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum is complete. Joint exhibition and restoration projects are being implemented, for instance, with the State Hermitage Museum, the State Russian Museum, and the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (the Kunstkamera) of the RAS.
The Friends of St. Petersburg comprehensive social project of Gazprom has been implemented since 2020. The project is aimed at preserving the historical and cultural legacy of St. Petersburg and fostering the current development of the city.
A total of 41 sports facilities, including sports and health centers, have been built in St. Petersburg under the Gazprom for Children project.