In expectation of reconstruction or demolition? Dilapidated Ufa circus has been closed for four years
Repairs are constantly postponed, citizens worry that the building can be demolished
The Ufa circus, which once was one of the main entertainment centres of the city, has been closed due to the building’s emergency state since 2017. Since then, the authorities have promised several times to start the reconstruction, however, the terms were always put off. Even the possible demolition of the building and the construction of blocks of flats instead have been heard recently. Realnoe Vremya’s own correspondent in Ufa found out what the circus of the Bashkortostan capital should wait, demolition or reconstruction.
Reconstruction terms are postponed
The emergency state of the roof, electric troubles and partly destroyed columns under the cupola became the main reasons for the decision of Oktyabrsky Court of Ufa to close the circus in 2017. According to specialists’ calculations, the reconstruction of the building will require about 1,5 billion rubles. The latest official data reads that the circus is planned to be reconstructed and opened by Ufa’s jubilee in 2024.
“We are completing the works on design and examination. Moreover, there is in general an agreement on federal funding in 2024-205. Our task is to open the circus by 2024, by Ufa’s jubilee,” Governor of Bashkortostan Rady Khabirov recently said.
Promises to repair the circus had been heard previously too. Immediately after the closure, the management of Russian State Circus claimed that the facility would be reconstructed as early as 2018. In August 2018, the region’s former Governor Rustem Khamitov promised the works would start in 2020.
Some Ufa citizens think the fact that the capital of Bashkortostan has not had a circus for five years is wrong.
According to the circus’s Director Guzel Tuktarova, Ufa citizens’ concerns have no foundation, the facility is on the list of places that are due to be reconstructed by the 450th anniversary of Ufa.
The building of the Ufa State Circus was built in 1968 according to a standard project of Giproteatr Moscow-based institute. The installed capacity is 2,047 spectators. A visor constructors named “German visor” due to its similar form was a distinctive feature of the construction.
With time, the building became old and required to be repaired. Repairs began in 1993, on Ufa’s jubilee on 12 June 1994. Shortly before the scheduled opening, the unfortunate visor of the building collapsed. Nobody was injured but the opening was put off during the investigation and reconstruction of the visor. As a result, they concluded the roof was the problem, water that destroyed the visor leaked through it. We can just hope the story won’t repeat and this time the reconstruction will be done well.