Contents
1. Common problems of
sisters-cities. 5
1.1 From the history of Chattanooga. 6
1.2 The present of Chattanooga. 8
1.3 The sights of Chattanooga. 10
2. From the history of Nizhniy Tagil 12
2.1 Measures that improved the ecological situation. 13
2.2 The sights of Nizhniy Tagil 14
3. The beginning of the international cooperation. 18
3.1 The project “Green future of N. Tagil”. 19
(1999-2000 y.) 19
3.2 The Fund of Russian – American project 19
Conclusion. 21
Practical part 23
Literature. 24
Introduction
Looking through the calendar we found
out that we have one or another holiday every Sunday. One of such holidays is
Day of Sisters-Cities (twin towns) which we celebrate on April 25. It was
established 41 years ago by the initiative of World Federation of
sisters-cities.
As world non-governmental organization
it was founded in Paris in 1957. The first agreements were concluded in 1942
between Stalingrad and Coventry, the towns destroyed by the war.
Now this organization unites 3,500 towns
and more then 160 countries. Our town has four sisters-cities: Heb, Chattanooga, Krivoy Rog and Brest.
We consider that our project is actual
because every city and town has problems in ecological, social, economical
spheres. They try to solve them in their own way. Their solutions may be
unique. We proved it investigating the development of the relations of two
sisters-cities N. Tagil and Chattanooga. United towns may have more successful
results. The most interesting system of human and economical connections has
been formed.
The cities exchanged delegations, hold
joint conferences and meeting on different problems, exchanged children
delegations.
We can name many different forms which
were worked out.
Tagil is a very friendly town and can’t
live without sister-cities. We want to be useful to each other and out
cultural, connections and morality wealth will help our spiritual rebirth.
The theme of our work is Sisters-Cities: Common Problems
Common Success.
The
aim is to determine common ways
in solving ecological problems in sisters-cities N. Tagil and Chattanooga.
The tasks are:
1.To study the
literature on the theme.
2.To study the
problems in the ecology of culture, environment and man in sisters-cities N.
Tagil and Chattanooga.
3.To work out
the project “School yard”, which would correspond the tasks of saving nature
and culture.
4.To create a
video guide about cultural and historical sights of sisters-cities N. Tagil and
Chattanooga.
The
object – the system of
cooperation of sisters-cities N. Tagil and Chattanooga in solving ecological
problems.
The
subject – the process of solving
of ecological problems (the ecology of the environment, man and culture) in
sisters-cities N. Tagil and Chattanooga.
Hypothesis – if people of different countries solve common problems together they
will have more successful results.
We
studied the following problems:
1. The ecology of the environment.
2. The ecology of a man.
3. The ecology of culture.
We
used the following methods:
1. The analysis of the ecological situation in N. Tagil
and Chattanooga.
2. Observation.
3. Comparing analysis of the development of ecological
situation in N. Tagil and Chattanooga.
4. The creation of the project of a new school yard and
video quite about cultural and historical sights of N. Tagil and Chattanooga.
Investigating the problems we found out
that the idea to enter into friendly relations between N. Tagil and the town
from the United States was born in the process of the realization of joint
Russian-American Project in the field of the protection of the environment and
the rational using of natural resources of N. Tagil (1994 – 2000). Americans
suggested the town Chattanooga from Tennessee. This town in the 1960-s was like
ours. It was industrialized and had a lot of problems connected with the
pollution of the environment, people’s health. By the beginning of 1980,
ecological problems had been successfully solved. Chattanooga turned from one
of the dirtiest towns of the USA into a model town which realized the programme
of stable development successfully. [1]
Making comparing analysis we revealed
that now 31% of the economy of the town consists of service sphere, 21% belongs
to the trade and less than 23% takes industry.
The administration and people of Chattanooga were ready to share their experience of solving ecological and economical
problems with our people and in December 1995 they sent a letter to the Mayor
of N. Tagil with the suggestion of cooperation. The administration of our town
in their turn wanted to use this experience and to change the direction of the
development of our town, make the future of our people ecologically clean and
healthy, to develop friendship between inhabitants of our towns.
In 1996 the town administration signed
official treaty of friendship and cooperation. In June the delegation from N. Tagil
visited Chattanooga. Since that time the delegations from our town have visited
Chattanooga twice: in September 1996 and in September 2000. The delegations
consisted of representatives from industrial plants, teachers, scientists and
ecologists. [2]
Friendly relations have been established
between Readers’ Association of the state Tennessee and the Central Children
Library, between the pupils of ‘School of the 21st century’ studying
the Russian language and school number 5.
Our delegation stayed with American
families to learn the usual life of inhabitants, to tell them about the life in
Russia and our town. As a result, they became pen friends.
The Association of sisters-cities is
responsible for the relations between our towns in Chattanooga. In Tagil it is
the department of foreign economic affairs of Administration of our town and
public organization “Clean House». Chattanooga is situated in the south-eastern
part of the USA. More than 400,000 people live there. There are chemical and
timber industrial plants there. It is very much like N. Tagil. [2]
In 1996 American Congress displayed the
initiative to assist Russia to solve environmental problems. Russian Ministry
suggested N. Tagil. A lot of industrial enterprises are concentrated here.
Their wastes pollute the environment and tell on people’s health. We can say
that N. Tagil is the town of great ecological situation.
According to the project of cooperation
there were a number of trends such as to strengthen organizations which fight
for protection of nature, to attract public attention, ecological education.
The coordinator of the project was Can
Marsh. [2]
In 2000
a new Russian-American project “Green Future of N. Tagil was signed. It was
created by the initiative of Tagil administration and the society “Clean
House”. This idea was supported by the institute of Stable Associations.
Within this project a conception of
creating “green corridor” was worked out in N. Tagil to protect the environment
and people’s health. “Green corridor” must present the system of natural zones
joint with each other including new parks, squares, historical and natural
sights, places for mass meeting, measures, sport activities. [4]
The question about the creation of
“green corridor” was discussed at the ecological conference devoted to the results
of ecological work in N. Tagil in 2000. Teachers, engineers, ecologists,
administration of N. Tagil took part in it.
We think that thanks to this cooperation
we improved the analysis of factors affecting people’s health. New methods of
the collecting of the information of sources of the air pollution were created.
[3]
In 2003
a group of our citizens joined by the idea to protect the environment from
pollution visited the town Chattanooga in the USA. That journey was part of the
project called the Opened World. It was organized by the US Congress and world
organization of sisters-cities.
The delegates wanted to see how
environmental problems were being solved in the USA. They were tired of smoke
and dirty town. Now Chattanooga had become one of the cleanest cities in the USA.
[2]
We clarified that the name “Chattanooga” came from the Greek Indian word for “rock coming to a point”. This refers to Lookout
Mountain which begins in Chattanooga and stretches 88
miles through Alabama and Georgia.
The city itself started out with two
different names: Ross’s Landing and Lookout City. [4]
Ross’s Landing was established in 1816
by John Ross, Chief of Cherokee Indians. The area consisted of a ferry, warehouse
and landing. With the organization of Hamilton County in 1819, Ross’s landing
served not only the Cherokee trade but also as a convenient business center for
the county. In 1838, the city officially took the name of Chattanooga. That
same year, Cherokee parties left Ross’s landing for the West on what became
known as the Trail of Tears. [10]
In addition to its important geographic
location with the mountains and the river, Chattanooga was also a vital
railroad center, with tracks leading from Atlanta to Nashville, from Memphis
to Charleston, and from Knoxville to Virginia. With the rail center so
strategically placed at the “Gateway to the Deep South”, Chattanooga’s nickname
during the war, troops were able to not only transport supplies but also reinforcements.
In addition, if the Union won here they would have an easy access to the
Confederates’ “home turf”. Confederates retreat to Chickamauga, Georgia.
Here, the bloodiest two-day battle of the entire Civil War was fought, with a
staggering 37,000 casualties. The Confederates were first to regroup after the
devastating Battle of Chickamauga, and they proceeded to lay siege for three
months to the Union forces held up in Chattanooga. [11]
General Ulysses S. Grant was sent in
after the Union’s defeat at Chickamauga to regain control of the Campaign.
Under Grant’s leadership and with the help of Generals Thomas, Hooker and
Sherman, the Union was able to win the following fire battles in the Campaign
for Chattanooga.
Upon the Union’s victory at the final battle
in the Campaign for Chattanooga, the Battle of Missionary Ridge, the gateway
was opened allowing for Sherman’s famous march to Atlanta the following year.
Shortly thereafter the war ended. [11]
In 1890, veterans from both the Union
and the Confederacy came back to the Scenic City. They placed tablets and
erected monuments in what became the nation’s first national military park. The
Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park is still the largest of its
kind in the nation with districts at the Chickamauga Battlefield, Point
Park and Lookout Mountain Battlefield Missionary Ridge, Orchard Knob and
Point. The Chattanooga National Cemetery was created in 1863, after the battles
in the Campaign for Chattanooga, due to the enormous number of casualties at
the Battle of Chickamauga. By 1865, more than 12,000 Union soldiers had been
buried, about 5,000 unknown. The cemetery was officially designated as the
first national cemetery in seven of Andrew’s Raiders, the first Medal of Honor
recipients who were honored for their famous mission known as the “Great
Locomotive Chase”.
The oldest surviving truss bridge of its
size in the South was built in 1891. The Walnut Street Bridge became the first
multiuse structure to span the Tennessee River, and for almost three decades it
served as the only way to cross the river.
The Walnut Street Bridge served as a
busy thoroughfare to the citizens of Chattanooga for many decades. Almost 100
years after its construction, the bridge was closed on the advice of engineers
who feared its collapse. Committed citizens spoke out against its destruction,
and the funds were then committed to preserve this historical landmark by
turning it into a “walking bridge”. Today, the Walnut Street Bridge
connects downtown Chattanooga to the north shore’s Coolidge Park
and Frazier Avenue. [13]
We found out that Chattanooga, the
fourth largest city in the state, is located in Southeast Tennessee near the
border of Georgia at the junction of four interstate highways. The city has
received national recognition for the renaissance of its beautiful downtown and
redevelopment of its riverfront. The city boasts the most productive affordable
housing program in the nation and is notable for leveraging development funds
through effective public/private partnerships, with significant civic
involvement on the part of private foundations. Chattanooga was one of the
first US cities to effectively use a citizen visioning process to set specific
long-range goals to enrich the lives of residents and visitors. [12]
The Chattanooga Convention and Trade
Center is solidly booked by groups who return to the city year after year for
a good time and a great facility that has recently has been expanded.
Public centers and private citizens
worked together to build the 20,000 seat May Finley
Stadium completed in 1998. The city and
county have developed an extensive greenway system which includes 5
miles of constructed river walk beginning downtown and meandering through the
historic art district and several parks. The city supports a downtown shuttle
fleet of zero-emission electric buses – manufactured here in Chattanooga – for
commuters and visitors wishing to park-and-ride.
Attractions such as the Tennessee
Aquarium, Lookout Mountain, Civil War battlefield sites, the African American
Museum, and the Appalachian Trail bring thousands of people to the area, as to
events like the River bend Festival, Bessie Smith Strut, Fall Color Cruise, the
Creative Discovery Museum for Children, and the Southern Writers Conference. Chattanooga is the home of NCAA Division TAA national football championships and hosts the
national softball championships every year.
People who love the out-of-doors use Chattanooga as a base for hang-gliding, bass fishing, mountain climbing and caving
expeditions; the Verdant Smoky Mountains and Tennessee River Watershed support
the greatest variety of flora of any area in the United States.
The local economy includes a diversified
mix of manufacturing and service industries, four colleges, and several
preparatory schools known throughout the South.
“Sustainability” is a key concept for
industry and government working together for enlightened development.
With its scenic beauty, stable
population and economy, civic vitality and cross-sector partnerships, fiscal
integrity, and strategic location, Chattanooga enters the 21st
century as one of the most progressive and livable mid-size cities in the US.
In this decade the city has won 3 national awards for outstanding “livability”,
and 9 Gunter Blue Ribbon Awards for excellence in housing and consolidated
planning. [10]
American city Chattanooga drew
international attention by its achievement in the protection of the environment
of the city. The main role belongs to the partnership of citizens.
They wanted to see their city nice and
clean with beautiful parks, squares, gardens, new houses, restaurants, hotels.
The city proved that it is possible to turn dust-heaps on the riverbank into
elegant and new public places. Now people from all over the world come to
admire the achievements in the field of protection of the environment.
Chattanooga had the dirtiest air in the
country. People had to light the roads during the daytime, had to change shirts
in the middle of the day. You couldn’t see Lookout Mountain in the distance of
one fourth of a mile. The city had the reputation of a disgusting place with
dirty air, water and no plans for the future. People were ashamed of it.
Citizens began to take measures to change the ecological situation. Social
groups, local administration, doctors, engineers united. New standards of air
quality were established; new methods of monitoring were inculcated. [8]
Large industrial plants began to clear
their wastes. In a few years Chattanooga again attracts attention of the
country in the field of protection of the air.
But in the south city there were many
problems between the 1970-s and 1980s. Heavy industrial plants were closed
leaving dirty squares.
Citizens went to the countryside and
they decided to create new workplaces, wealth people must change Chattanooga.
We learnt that in the 1980-s, a process
of involving citizens in the business of changing the city began. People began
to discuss problems themselves and took right decisions. People became “brain
center”. The administration appreciated their ideas highly, their ideas became
projects of the Tennessee Aquarium, Tennessee River walk route, the Walnut
Street Bridge, Lookout Mountain Flight Park. Many people took part in the
realization of these ideas. For the last 30 years every American city has such
problems and was looking for the solution. The degree of attention to the
question of the protection of the environment distinguishes Chattanooga’s
citizens from others. They understand that the key role of changing the city
belongs to the environment and are working out new plans of its future
development. [10]
The Chickamauga and Chattanooga
National Military Park is the oldest
and largest of its kind in the country. More than a thousand years ago, the
first inhabitants of this region marveled at its beauty. Their descendants
spied the palisades of Lookout Mountain and named the area Indian language
meaning "rock coming to a point".
Hunter Museum
of American Art. The museum houses
one of the finest collections of American art in the southeast, including
works by Andrew Wyatt, Mary Cassatt and Andy Warhol.
Bluff View Art River Gallery. River Gallery houses an eclectic collection of fine
art and sculpture by regional, national and international artists.
The Chattanooga Theatre Centre, home to one of the oldest continuously active
community theatres in the country, produces a full season of theatre
favorites, musicals and cutting edge works in its two theatres.
Ruby Falls is
one of Chattanooga's favorite attractions, thrilling visitors for more than 70
years with its thundering 145-foot natural waterfall and caverns deep inside Lookout
Mountain.
Raccoon Mountain
Pumped Stroage Project. Enjoy viewing
the scenic Tennessee River gorge, then descend 1000
ft underground to see a 490-ft powerhouse. Year-round wildlife viewing for
deer, wild turkeys, red-tail hawks, owls, osprey, wood-chucks, and raccoons.
Amusement Park. Dare to ride the breathtaking Cannon Ball roller
coaster, tour the park on the C.P. Huntington train or make a splash on the
pad-dleboats, or the Pipeline Plunge! Over 30 rides plus games, arcade, gift
shops, picnic areas, catering service and more.
The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum recalls the era of the iron horse with roundtrip
excursion available aboard a restored passenger train.
Mole Hill Pottery. The area's finest gallery featuring local, regional,
and national artisans. Unusual treasures in pottery, jewelry, woodworking and
other handcrafted items.
Lookout Mountain's Point Park - Commemoration of the famous "Battle Above the
Clouds," the park offers visitors a spectacular panoramic view of Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley. Park features include the Ochs Observatory,
Garrity's Battery, Umbrella Rock, and the "Battle of Lookout
Mountain" mural in the Visitors Center.
A trip to Chattanooga wouldn't be
complete without a visit to Yee's Crab House Seafood Restaurant. You can
find all your seafood favorites like clam strips, crawfish, shrimp, Blue Crab,
mussels, catfish, grouper, and clam chowder.
Discover the Lost Sea,
a unique natural wonder which is listed as "America's Largest
Underground Lake" in the Guinness Book of World Records. . Lost Sea has
been designated a Registered Natural Landmark by the U.S. Dept. of Interior.
The jewel of Chattanooga's revitalized
downtown and riverfront is the Tennessee Aquarium, which showcases
thousands of aquatic creatures from the river systems of the world
Radisson Read House Hotel &
Suites. The historic Read House is
truly the Grand Dame of hotels in Chattanooga. Thirteen floors of museum
quality art serve as a tribute to the Civil War with regional battles and campaigns
depicted. This National Historic Register hotel is located on the free downtown
shuttle route and is minutes from area attractions. [13]
2.
From the history of Nizhniy Tagil
Nizhniy Tagil lies on
the eastern side of the Ural Mountains surrounded by wooded hills and low
mountains in the valley of the river Tagil. The larger part of its area is more
or less flat with shallow ravines and sloping river banks. D.N.Mamin-Sibiriak
called the city “the beloved Urals’ child spread at the foot of its mountains
close right to its stone heart”. Nizhniy Tagil’s environs are beautiful and
picturesque.
The origin of its name has three versions. According
to one of them, it consists of 2 ancient words “more” and “river”. To the next
version, it comes from the ancient words “mountain” and “country”. As far as
the last version is concerned, it means “mountainous land”.
Nizhniy Tagil has
been included into the register of “historical towns of Russia”
for the reasons of its almost three-century history as well as of being one of
the oldest mining centers of both home and world metallurgy. [5]
In 1720, according to Peter the Great’s ukase the
parallel erection of two Demidovs’ works – copper-smelting and cast
iron-smelting – commenced. Vyisky works’ setting was held on October 23, 1722.
That year is considered as the date of Nizhniy Tagil’s foundation.
Nizhniy Tagil is
situated on the east slope of the Ural Mountains, at 20-25
km distance from the conventional Europe-Asia border and 200
km above the sea level.
There are hardly any great waterways in the district.
The main river Tagil with its numerous tributaries flows into the river Tura
integrated into the Ob-Irtysh river basin. [5]
On many rivers of the district water reservoirs –
ponds – have been arranged, many of them being erected simultaneously with the
works’ building in the 18th century. The Tagil pond is extended at 16
km distance.
The district has a continental climate.
The district is rich in minerals. The unique deposits
of magnetite in mountain Vysokaya was found in 1696 and has been exploited
since 1721. The today’s largest iron ore deposit of the Tagil’s district is
Kachkanar.
In the 19th century, in the Nizhniy Tagil mining district as well as all over the Urals the abundant gold and platinum
fields were found. In 1844 in the course of the examination of the platinum
fields professor K.Klaus discovered a new chemical element – ruthenium.
Together with platinum the favorite Ural semi-precious
stone – golden-green garnet-dermatoid – was mined. [5]
Since the 17th century, the state
expeditions together with local miners extracted some other Ural gems –
amethyst, topaz, heliodor, aquamarine and some others – in the deposits of the
famous Murzinka fields of gems.
However, the Ural green stone – malachite – has
merited the greatest world-wide fame. Mountain Vysokaya was a significant
malachite source as well. [5]
Together with the peculiarities of the natural
landscape the mining industrial complex had become the leading urban composing
factor which determined the direction of the streets and main thoroughfares of
Tagil, the general organization of its architectural-spatial environment, the
character of the volumetric planning and compositional decorative
interrelations that in the total had created the unique and at the same time
typical of the Ural flavor of Nizhniy Tagil as a “works-town”. Nizhniy Tagil is a large industrial center with a population of about 400,000 people and a
very bad ecological situation.
The development of mining, metallurgical, chemical and
machine-building industries influenced the ecological situation of the town.
Industrial and building industries pollute soil and
plant layers. Chemical and industrial wastes pollute the air and water. A large
number of dust heaps can be seen in the streets of the town. Not long ago the
town was the dirtiest town in the country.
The air above the town is hardly good for breathing;
we can’t call the water suitable for drinking. There are some other problems
which tell on people’s health, e.g. the problem of noise and radiation.
The huge amounts of wastes are made by such
enterprises as the Nizhniy Tagil Steel and Iron Plant, the Mining Integrated
Plant and the Chemical Plant.
Studying the literature we came across that a special
federal programme has been worked out for our town. A laboratory to observe the
pollution of the air was created within this programme.
In another Federal programme “Ecological and natural
resources of Russia till 2010” Nizhniy Tagil is written separately.
A few years ago Tagil was listed in a dozen of Russia’s dirtiest towns. In 2003, it is among 35 dirtiest towns.
The percentage of wastes into the air is decreasing.
The concentration of them is normal in Nizhniy Tagil. The index of pollution of
the air was decreasing from 1999 to 2002. [9]
The administration of the town takes care of people
and children with ecological diseases.
Thanks to the reconstruction of the plants their
influence on people’s health is decreasing.
There is a special complex of special constructions to
clear the water in our town. A special laboratory controls the process. New
methods of cleaning the water have been conformed.
In 2002, two hundred dump heaps were liquidated;
45,000 trees and bushes were planted in 2003.
In 2000, by the initiative of the Institution of the
Stable Association and the public organization “Clean House” a conception of
“green corridor” was worked out. On September 20, 2001,
a municipal programme “Complex improvement of the town from 2001 to 2005 and
main directions of this improvement up to 2010”.
[9]
“Green corridor” is an improvement of the quality of
the air and water in the town.
To plant trees, bushes and flowers is the cheapest way
of the environment enhancement.
The realization of this project is not only in
reconstructing the old parks but also in creating new ones, such as the
northern embankment of the town pond, the square around the Cherepanovs
Monument, the musical fountain, the square in Goroshnikov Street and many
others.
Nizhniy Tagil
plan-museum. In the XVIII century the
N. Tagil plant was one of the largest and the most technologically advanced in
the Urals, Russia and Europe. This status had been preserved during the XIX
century. After starting the Novotagilsky steelmaking giant it was used for
trials with iron making processes and manufacturing the high quality cast iron.
During the WWII it manufactured ferrochromium and ferromanganese, stainless
steel coils for aircraft. In 1957 it was included into N. Tagil Iron and Steel
Integrated Works. In October 1987 it was decommissioned. There was the last
salute to the legendary plant which had employed several generations of Tagil
citizens. A farewell hooter rolled over the city. The symbolic plant’s keys
were given to a new host, the Middle Urals Mining and Metal working industrial park of N. Tagil.
Alexandrovskaya street. From the Front Works Square to the East led the chief street of the
township – Alexandrovskaya. It had many names in the course of Nizhniy Tagil history. First it was poetically called Nagornaya and Jagodnaya Street. Then
it was titled Alexandrovskaya after the visit of Prince Alexander Nikolaevich
to N. Tagil in 1837. In 1928 such a name of the street reminding of one of the
Romanovs dynasty became impossible and the street was renamed to Lenin
street “in honor of the world proletariat leader”. Alexandrovskaya street belonged to the main, most
prestigious part of the city, the business and trade center of N. Tagil. The
houses and stores of merchants and industry managers were situated there. The
buildings traditionally combined commercial and economic, administrative and
residential functions. In Soviet times there were many administrative buildings
in the street. [5]
The Building of the History Museum of Local Studies, the former “laboratory ell” of the Head
Works Office Building, was built together with the main house in 1833 by one
of Moscow or St. Petersburg architects. The building is very simple, the effect
of its look is achieved by festive window decorations. Before the Revolution
there was a laboratory, Demidov’s works’ archives and public library founded by
A.N. Karamzin in the building. In 1840 at the direction of N.N. Demidov “the Museum
of Natural History and Antiques” was opened. It was one of the oldest
provincial museum in Russia, the predecessor of the modern Museum for Local History
Studies.
At the foot of the hill on the former Cathedral Square beautifully are placed two solid buildings under high double pitch roofs “in
Dutch manner”. There are Verkhniye proviantskiye sklady. The buildings
are remarkable for their simple clear-cut shapes and proportion. They were
constructed for practical needs as “bread stores” or warehouses to keep food
supply and metal. Today they belong to the Mining and Metallurgy Museum-Reserve
of the Middle Urals. The Verkhniye serve as the museum depository and the Lower
ones will be soon turned into the Nature and Environment Museum.
The flat, verdurous and “decorated” with rocks Lisya
Gora is a traditional place for public feasts and merrymaking. A famous
Tagil artist I.F. Khudoyarov in his scenic canvas “Merrymaking on Lisya Gora”
depicted the panorama of N. Tagil of the early nineteenth century from Lisya
Gora. A tower on Lisya Mountain was built in 1818 and has become an invariable
symbol of N. Tagil for ages. Placed on the highest point of the city’s relief
the tower served as a watch and look-out construction but at the same time
could not but had its own aesthetic properties. The fire warning was made by
special signals – a red lantern and alarm bell rang.
The so-called “Gospodskii Dom” (the Manor) was
built with non-provincial splendor in 1830s. In the middle of the nineteenth
century the Manor had become the property of the Demidovs family and was used
as “a guest house for celebrated visitors”, later as an official lodging for
works managers of high positions. The planning is characteristic for classical
town manors and included a house, a coach house with cellarage, stone stables
and a garden spreading down to the Tagil river bank. The residential part of
the house in its middle part is particular for protruding with columns of
Corinthian order, ornamental details and has the look solemn and chic. Today we
have here the Museum of Native Life and Trades. [5]
The D.N. Mamin-Sibiryak Drama Theater of N. Tagil has become the major decoration of the
plaza. This magnificent building has made a radical impact on the plaza’s
“image” and it is rightly considered one of the city’s most significant
buildings. The National Drama Theater was opened in N. Tagil on May 8, 1946.
In 1955 there was erected a new theatrical building deigned by Leningrad architect A. Tarasenko. It is one of the city’s most significant architectural
structures resembling an ancient fane. N. Tagil will go down in history as the
‘motherland’ of the Russia’s first steam engine. Community has deeply
commemorated its creators – Ye. A. and M. Ye. Cherepanovs known as the
“versatile machine engineers”. As far back as in WWII there appeared an idea of
a monument to these serf inventors. In November 1956 the 8-m bronze monument on
a high red granite pedestal made by sculptor A. S. Kondratyev and architect A.
V. Sotnikov, was placed in the center of the Theatrical Square.
The Park named after the writer A. P. Bondin is located on the bank of Tagil Lake and has a long
history. In the early nineteenth century quite close to the Heard Office of the
Works the “Gospodskii sad” (the Hosts Garden) was founded. Later the Hosts
Garden turned into a public one and has become one of the dancing ground and
joyful merry-go-rounds, flying right over the surface of the lake. The territory of Bondin Park is included into the industry and landscape “Demidov – Park”. The
plan foresees creating the dendrology Greenway connected with other green areas
of the city. [5]
N. Tagil Iron and Steel Works (NTMK) is one of Russia’s largest steelmaking complexes and
the World’s largest processor of inborn vanadium alloyed titan ferrous ores. It
dates back to 1931 when first builders, the workers of the former Demidov’s
plant, came up the site to Fedorina Gora (Fedorina Mount) and began to clean up
the site to deploy the future gigantic works. During the WWII Tagil steelmakers
would do their best for the Victory, they manufactured high quality iron, armor
steel, jet-propelled projectiles for the famous Katyushas. Today OAO “NTMK”
manufactures over 5 million tons of rolled products for fail road, industrial
construction, machine building and metal mining.
URALVAGONZAVOD (Uralsky
railcar building plant) is a unique machine building facility possessing
powerful technological and intellectual potential being of the Russia’s largest science and engineering complexes. Over its 65-year history URALVAGONZAVOD
(UVZ) has pioneered the development and manufacturing of high quality machines
of the World’s class. UVZ has been awarded six Orders of Glory in Labor and
Warfare. UVZ manufactures about 100 product types. The giant of industry was
constructed within an extremely short period: it took just a bit over five
years to deploy a powerful record-breaking facility on the low lands of deep
taiga forests. UVZ is an entire town with streets and special in-plant
transport. To the WWII the UVZ had produced about 35,5 thousand high-capacity
cars. After the war had begun the UVZ engineered and started a mass
conveyor-type production of combat tank T-34 for a sensationally short while. [5]
International cooperation of N. Tagil with state and
public organizations was very active during the period of realization of joined
Russian American project in the field of the environment.
Russian-American project has become the result of work
of the Commission, created by B. Eltzin and Clinton in 1993. At first the work
of Russian-American cooperation concentrated on such areas as: cosmos, energy
and high technologies. Then the Commission expanded its sphere of activity
including the questions of health and ecology. [6]
N-Tagil was chosen as a city having serious ecological
problems and situated in the dirtiest regions of Russia.
The presentation of ecological measures of
Russian-American project was help in May 24 1994. Memorandum was signed between
the administration of the town and environmental American Agency. The office of
the project was created; it was registered as “Clear House”. [7]
The project included all spheres of human activities:
from education, to ecology.
It was for the first time that students, members of
public organizations, citizens took part in the working out of town ecological
policy. Later it becomes every day practice to draw the public to solve
ecological tasks together with the town administration.
Different specialists’ exchanges helped people to
increase their professional level, broaden their minds and gave a lot of new
splendid ideas.
Considerable money resources spent on certain
ecological measures helped to improve the ecological situation in the town.
During the period from 1994 of 2000 our town received
103 delegations with consisted of teachers, scientists, doctors and others. [8]
N-Tagil became sister-cities with Chattanooga, which
had the same ecological problems.
The project came to an end but its results are
installed in a new international project “ROLL”. 11 Tagil projects out of 18
Ural projects were financed.
Together with IUS 2 new projects were put into life.
The cooperation with IUS helps to work out very useful
projects, connected with the environment, using the experience of one side and
the willing to live better of the other side. [7]
Long and distinguished cooperation between the
organization “Clean House” and the Institute of Stable Association and the
administration of our town found its continuation in the project “Green future
of N. Tagil”. It started in spring of 2000. The idea of this project was to
show our administration and citizens a new complex approach to the ecological
situation and to solve the problem of planting trees and shrubs and to improve
the town. The aim was to create the so-called “green corridor”. The “green
corridor” is a system of territories, situated along town ponds: new and old
parks, sugars, historical sights, sports grounds and places for social
programmers and places where our citizens and guests can have a rest. [9]
For these corridors old, neglected industrial areas
were used. It helped to restore these areas, increased the number of green
trees and plants that was to improve the environment.
The main tasks of the project became:
1)
Working out and popularization of
the conception of the creating of the “green corridors” in N. Tagil.
2)
Involving population in practical
activity and taking care of parks, squires.
3)
Continuation of the relations
between sisters-cites N. Tagil and Chattanooga.
American friends invited our specialists to show how
they solved such problems in the town which had the same problems years ago.
The second delegation consisted of teachers; members of public organizations.
They got acquainted with the activity of the same organizations in Chattanooga. [3]
In the result it was cleared out that just public
organizations and volunteers initiated the ideas of “green corridors” and
revived the neglecting parks, squares. They became volunteers and took care of
them. They tried to solve many problems with local government, businessmen, and
draw children to this work.
The Fund of Russian – American project was created in
1996. The main aim was to support taut practical measures in solving ecological
problems and to improve the state of the citizens’ health by financing the
projects which won in the competition.
Financial supporting was given by the USA Agency USEPA
and ISL helped to organize the work.
Coordination committee of the project controlled the
action of the Fund. The administrative functions to manage the Fund were given
to the members of SES “Clean House”.
In 1996 and 1998 two competitions of ecological
projects were held. The most interesting and effective once were given to the
competition.
The Coordination committee chose 12 which were the
most interesting and effective. To realize those projects the Fund gave grants
the sum of it was about 500 thousand dollars. [6]
In spite of the difficulties connected with the
economical situation in our country the most part of them was successfully
fulfilled. The results of the most effective are used in other Russian regions.
One of the most important was the project of
biological enculturation of Cheremshansk shlamkeeping.
This territory was very dirty. There was no grass,
trees, birds in its area. Now the grass, birds, different plants can be seen on
the most part of it. The guests from England, German, Finland,
Poland, and Italy – the members of annual seminar of International society of
mine professors in Yekaterinburg were greatly surprised by this fact. They
haven’t seen anything like that. The experience of our town was used in
Novokuznetzk, Revda, and Nevynsk. [3]
Conclusion
In the conclusion we’d like to say that our
sister-cities are very much alike. We proved that their history and problems
have much in common:
1. Chattanooga and N. Tagil
are industrial towns.
2. They were the dirtiest towns in their countries.
3. The chemical and industrial wastes can’t but reflect
on people’s health. People of both towns couldn’t live in those conditions.
One of our tasks was to investigate ecological
situation of our cities. The government and the administration of our towns
have found the most interesting system of human and economical connections in
this sphere.
We consider that new common ways in solving these
problems have been created. We exchanged delegations, hold joint conferences
and meetings on different problems, exchange children delegations.
Many different forms of joint work have been worked
out.
Tagil is a very friendly town and can’t live without
sisters-cities. We can be useful to each other and our connections, cultural
and morality wealth will help our spiritual rebirth.
The tasks which were put by the government and
administration of our towns were fulfilled:
1.
The conception of the creating of
the “green corridors” was popularized.
2.
The population of both towns was
involved in practical activity.
3.
New parks, squares, sports grounds,
places for social programmes were created.
4.
The territory along town ponds was
restored and has become beautiful, green and now it is a pleasure to have a
rest there.
And what’s more interesting that just public
organization became an initiator of most projects and ideas.
The experience of our towns was used in other towns of
Russia. It’s a pity that this work has no continuation. But we have great
results of joint work and we hope that this work wouldn’t stop. We want to see
our town nice, clean, and modern, with lots of beautiful parks, squares. Chattanooga helped us to look at the problems of our town as at our own problems. People
understood that they can change the situation and they are changing it.
On the whole we can say that the tasks which we have
put are fulfilled:
1.
We studied the literature on the
theme.
2.
We studied the problems in the
ecology of culture, environment and man in sisters-cities N. Tagil and Chattanooga.
3.
We worked out the project “School
yard”, which would correspond the tasks of saving nature and culture.
4.
We created a video guide about
cultural and historical sights of sisters-cities N. Tagil and Chattanooga.
We proved that our hypothesis is right. If
people of different countries solve common problems together they will have
more successful results.
Studying the literature on the subject we came to
conclusion, that a great work has been carried out in the area of ecology of
environment, culture and in social sphere by the administration of two cities
and their citizens.
Wonderful ecological projects have been realized. Many
squares, parks, streets, museums, houses have been reconstructed. Lenin
street (former Alexandrovskaya), Karl Marks street (former Shamina) and many
other streets have been changed by this time. We admire the sight of a new
embankment of the town pond, and a wonderful sight of Lisya Gora.
We see many new green plants in our street, squares,
parks, which make our town more attractive and nice. They let our citizens to
relax and have a good time walking there. Many old buildings, museums,
Children’s houses of creativity have been reconstructed.
In autumn and spring people take part in cleaning
their streets, yards, parks and squares.
Pupils of our school can’t stay aside. We take part in
planting bushes, flowers and in cleaning the yard around our school and the
Veterans’ square, make new flower-beds. All children, teachers and even parents
take part in this work. We plant trees, flowers not only around our school, but
we try to make green corridors in our school. Flowers clean the air, they help
to make good mood for us and teachers, our school becomes more beautiful and we
enjoy spending our time there.
But we would like to have a very comfortable sport
ground behind our school, where we’d be able not only to play sport but to rest
and relax.
1. Елагина Е. Побратим.//Тагильский
рабочий. – 2004. – 25 октября.
2. Елагина Е. Побратим Чаттануга
преображает нас.//Тагильский рабочий. – 2004. – 17 августа.
3 Диденко Н. Дружба через
океан.//Тагильский рабочий. – 2003. – 21 ноября.
4. Диденко Н. С кем дружит
Н-Тагил?//Областная газета. – 2002.
5. Ильина Е. Нижний Тагил на
перекрестках веков//Нижний Тагил, 2002.
6. Мардж П. Ваши цветы и сорняки
похожи на наши.//Горный край. – 2004. – 17 ноября.
7. Седова Н. Деревце
сотрудничества зеленеет!//Тагильский рабочий. – 1996. – 27 июня.
8. Седова Н. Чистой воды станет
больше!//Тагильский рабочий. – 1998. – 29 мая.
9. Чеборирокова С.Н.
Экологическое чудо для Н-Тагила.//Тагильский рабочий. – 2003. – 28 августа.
10. www.utc.edu
11. www.ntagil.ru
12. www.mojgorod.ru
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