A new square has opened in Almaty on the site of the presidential residence that burned down during the January events. The location is at the intersection of the former Nazarbayev Avenue and Gandhi Street. Landscaping work began last year, and now there are paths, benches, trees, and a pond, reports the news agency Todayinfo.
In winter, there was an ice skating rink, and now a fountain has been installed in its place. However, the main feature of the square is a part of the burnt building separated by a glass fence. There is no explanatory plaque, so people do not understand why this object was left.
“We thought it was something old, like from the Middle Ages. It would be good to put up a sign. But in general, it’s right – let people know what happened in January,” residents say.
Square employee Mansiya Kereyeva also does not understand the meaning of this “monument.” “To be honest, I don’t see any point. It’s not beautiful. There’s just a piece standing there – that’s it,” she says. Mansiya comes to work every day at 6:30 a.m. and does cleaning until 6:00 p.m. According to her, the fence around the square is temporary and is planned to be removed.
Local residents walk in the square daily, but the charred part of the wall confuses people rather than reminds them of the event. There are many negative comments about the square on social media, but criticism is mainly directed at the workers.
