Belarusian President of Aleksandr Lukashenko heard a report on the improvement of Minsk and the development of sports infrastructure in the city during his visit to the reconstructed Traktor Stadium, BelTA has learned. 

Minsk Mayor Vladimir Kukharev noted that the city is creating the conditions for doing sport. In particular, parks and green areas are being landscaped. Over the past two years, the construction of three parks has been completed: the Hugo Chavez Park in Kamennaya Gorka, the Pavlov Park in the Moskovsky District (near the Student Village) and the Apple Park near First National Trading House. 

Until recently, there were quite a lot of unkempt small green areas in Minsk. The administrations of the city districts reinvigorate several such sites annually. As a result, in three years the city has created 64 recreation areas. "Very good," the head of state said. 

The mayor also spoke about the plans to develop a network of bicycle paths in the city. Now, according to the mayor, there are 293km of bicycle paths in Minsk. Over the next five years, another 85km will be built. Thus, the total network will exceed 380km, which will make it possible to get from any microdistrict by bicycle to any point in the city. "This is important. We have kept MotoVeloZavod producer of bicycles. Bicycles are an excellent mode of transport," the president said. 

Plans are in place to continue sprucing up sports grounds in Minsk courtyards. There are a total of 344 of them, 255 of which have been completely tidied up over the past three years. This work is to be completed in 2025.

Over the past two years, ski tracks with artificial snow have been arranged in every district of Minsk. “Last year, all nine tracks were provided with snow, and were popular with people,” Vladimir Kukharev said, adding that four roller ski tracks were also operating in the Belarusian capital.

According to the Minsk mayor, all school stadiums of the city (a total of 245) are open for the city residents until late in the evening. “Children should take their parents there,” the head of state said.

Additional opportunities for doing various sports are also available at the city facilities. For example, a shooting gallery and a climbing wall have been equipped on the Dinamo Stadium grounds. Tennis courts have been put into operation in Zhudro Street. “It was a little delayed construction project. Now everything is great there. There are four hard and four clay courts,” the mayor said.

In this regard, the president pointed out that visit to this facility should be not free but affordable. Indeed, Belarus spends considerable budget funds on training athletes, including tennis players, creating sports infrastructure, staffing and others. "Tennis players become millionaires. Practically no one gives back... So if you want to play, pay or sign a contract. If you have become wealthy, make a contribution," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

As it was reported, Minsk hosts nine inter-school stadiums (in each district of the city) with an artificial turf, athletics tracks and exercise equipment. "Football players used to complain about the attention to ice hockey," Aleksandr Lukashenko said. He stressed that every Minsk district provides opportunities for football. "Go and play. Being a football player myself I am telling you that we wished we had such conditions before…"

Next year the city isd planning to commission two sports and recreation centers: in Kamenaya Gorka and Loshitsa. The reconstruction of the Dinamo sports complex on Daumana Street is on the home stretch. It is planned to go online in 2025.

Plans are in place to build a 2.5km long roller-ski track with a shooting range for biathletes in the Medvezhino wooded area. According to Minsk Mayor Vladimir Kukharev, the project was discussed together with Darya Domracheva.

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