англ №40

№40, July 2017
People will be able to see Zakarpattia Oblast traveling
in a historic locomotive
Since this August, tourists will be able to enjoy a ride on the
Borzhavska narrow-gauge railway in the historic German train
GR-280.
Twice a week (on Fridays and Saturdays) it will travel
between Irshava, Khmilnyk and Vynogradov. It has already
been long used in the city of Haivoron, Kyrovohrad Oblast.
However, in recent years, it has mainly been used by tourists.
The locomotive will be followed by three passenger cars and
one cargo car, which can be used for transporting small loads
or bicycles. The cars are local, from the Borzhavska narrowgauge
railway.
It is a joint project of the Ministry of Infrastructure, the
Zakarpatiia Oblast State Administration and partners from
Germany and Switzerland. Overseas partners have the
experience of restoring narrow-gauge railways in Romania,
which has become a very attractive tourist destination. It is
planned to attract them to restoration of the Borzhavska narrowgauge
railway, and the launch of GR-280 is considered the first
stage of this project. This is stated on the site of the governor
of Zakarpattia Oblast Hennadii Moskal. The locomotives of
the GR were manufactured in the post-war Germany in 1947-
1956. Interestingly, Zakarpattia has another German train of the
same series - GR-286, which is an exhibit of the Museum «An Old
Village» in Kolochav. Several other locomotives of the GR series
became monuments in a number of Ukrainian cities.
Kyiv zoo will be reconstructed according
to the European model
The reconstruction of the Kyiv zoo has begun. Kyiv
authorities promise that after renovating the zoo will become
more modern and comfortable for animals, and will meet the
standards of European zoos.
During the reconstruction, the zoo will continue to
function. Nowadays the zoo does not have enough cages,
the infrastructure for visitors is not developed, about 30% of
the zoo area is not used, and engineering networks are worn
out. The concept of reconstruction was developed by the
Kyiv Institute of Urban Design. After the works, the entire area
of the zoo will be used, a unique collection of plants will be
preserved, new zones for animals will be built. The exposition
of the zoo will be expanded. People would be able to see
animals from observation decks, and instead of fences there
will be stones, wood and other natural materials. Elephants
will get a special «Valley»; hippos, rhinoceroses and penguins
will get larger areas; giraffes, zebras and ostriches will
populate the «African savanna». Space will be added to the
«Bear’s Continent» and the «Island of Predators» with lions
and tigers. Water reservoirs will be cleaned, recreation areas,
ecological and educational complexes will be built, and
the zoo will be accessible to visitors with limited capabilities.
There will be an aquarium and terrarium, an aviary for exotic
birds, a park with plants and a children’s zoo where visitors
will get an opportunity to stroke and feed animals.
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