Ulaanbaatar Parks and Streets Blog

No Car Day in UB

2011-10-08T06:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday was no car day in UB. All traffic was blocked on Peace Ave, Baga Toiruu, Seoul St and Sambuu / Beijing Streets. It was extraordinarily refreshing. Lots of people out today enjoying the easy walking, bike riding and roller blading. I wish they would have more days like this!

Selbe River Make Over

2011-10-01T18:16:00.000-07:00

The Selbe River is getting a long awaited make over. The gully that runs north south is being redone with walking paths and public spaces. The project started a few weeks ago and will probably take a year or more to complete but progress is underway. The first area to be developed is the section between the US embassy and the Sky Shopping Mall. This should definitely add some life to an otherwise neglected part of the city.

School No. 5 Park

2011-09-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

My last post described a new park behind Ard Kino, let’s just call it the Ard Kino Park (unless anyone can suggest a better name).

Now there is another new park, this one is located behind School No 5. So we’ll call it School 5 Park. (if you are looking for it, walk along the lane that runs along the south side of School 5, then turn left near the soccer field)

Significantly, this one was funded by the government. There is a big sign nearby stating that it was an initiative of Zorigt, Minister of Minerals and Energy.

The park is not as flashy as the Ard Kino Park but it does feature some pavement for roller skating, walkways, benches and gazebos. Certainly its an improvement over the concrete and rubble that was there before. When I visited last Sunday the local residents were hanging around, enjoying their new park. Now we just need to replicate this park in every courtyard around the city.

Another note, directly behind School No 5 is a new soccer field, with artificial turf. It replaces and older dirt soccer field. It’s a great place to kick a soccer ball around but unfortunately it’s usually closed to the general public. Soccer teams practice here frequently but at other times the gates are locked. The same goes for the new soccer field near the Manduhai Hotel. If anyone knows any soccer fields that are open for general use feel free to comment here.

Some pix of the new park…

New Park in UB

2011-09-05T16:29:00.000-07:00

A brand new park has officially opened in UB. It’s located behind Ard Kino, near the French Bakery. Its a great addition to central Ulaanbaatar and if you have not already been down there I encourage everyone to go check it out. There are a couple of water fountains, some grassy areas, trees and benches. It is just what every neighborhood in UB needs. The park was not built by the city. It was built by a private investor who was given the land to develop into a park. In return, the investor was given some land to put up an apartment building nearby. Hopefully this park will be a model for other areas of the city. Here are some pix:

Fountain in new park by Ard Kino

New park behind Ard Kino.

New park behind Ard Kino

Little Ring Road

2011-08-06T01:26:00.000-07:00

So the Little Ring Road project is done. The street has been resurfaced and enormous curbs installed. Where the road meets Peace Ave, it has been widened a little, allowing for easier left and right turns. But there are lingering questions, namely, what will be done with the “green space” left between the sidewalk and the road? There is a heck of a lot of space there - about 10m in some spots. For now is pretty much waste ground but, we can only assume, the city has plans to beautify these areas with grass, trees, benches etc. Clearly, the city has elected not to bring more parking spaces along this road. When I look at this land, I think bike lane. It would be a perfect opportunity to make a bike lane in the city center. There is also plenty of room to make small parks, similar to the little park that has been built on Tourist Street (near Luna Blanca restaurant). What would you do with Little Ring Road? Send in your comments.

An example of the large areas of undeveloped land left on the Little Ring Road. This patch is near Bagshiin Del bus stop (near the UB Hotel). The land could be used for small parks or a bike path around the whole Little Ring Road.

Sukhbaatar Square Street Now Two-Way

2011-07-03T21:01:00.000-07:00

The street on the east side of Sukhbaatar Square (between Choibalsan statue and Central Tower) has gone from being one way to two-way street. The intersection at Peace Ave has been widened and now connects with Olympic Street. The picture below is taken next to the Central Tower, with the Foreign Ministry on the other side of the street.

Follow up to Parking Question

2011-06-30T05:20:00.000-07:00

I went to City Hall today seeking answers to my earlier question about the parking situation on Baga Toiruu. I couldn’t quite understand the logic behind taking away parking spaces on the road and figured there had to be a reasonable answer.

It seems that taking away spaces was actually a conscious decision made by the city, after recommendations by the Traffic Police. The Traffic Police believe that having less parking spaces will actually reduce traffic problems. Without places to park traffic will flow faster, they say.

I then asked, what happens if a car has to stop to go to a local business? There are tons of small shops and cafes on Little Ring Road and many would lose business if they don’t have parking. The answer was somewhat convoluted but essentially it breaks down like this:

The road engineer says that if businesses have fewer customers because they have less parking then they will have to figure out a way to make their own parking.

I said, how are they going to do that?

He said businesses should knock down the buildings and make new ones that have underground parking.

I then said, well, most of the businesses on Baga Toiruu are small mom and pop shops and cafes, they are not going to be able to knock down their buildings and build new ones with underground parking.

To this he says that those little shops and cafes should never have been built in the first place. He says they are ugly, unsafe and not designed for commercial space (OK, on this he does have a point).

He added that if the businesses get killed off because of this new road design, then the property prices will come down and developers will be able to go in, buy a whole building, knock it down and put up a new one.

He tells me -- those buildings have exceeded their lifespan, they should be torn down and replaced with newer, more efficient buildings.

He concludes by adding that if there are fewer parking spaces, people will use their cars less and will just walk around town. Thereby reducing traffic.

I must admit that I am perplexed by all of this, and somewhat astonished to hear that the city is actually trying to kill off local businesses as a way to get rid of the old Russian buildings.

Now, in conclusion, I ask if they are taking away the parking spaces, where does the city expect people to park in the near term. The answer, he says, it so build huge, multi-story parking garages around the city.

Whoa, I thought he wanted to limit the parking spaces? But now he says he wants to build big parking structures. I consider suggesting to scrap the idea of parking structures and just have street parking, but in the end, I give up.

So let us recap the plans for downtown UB:
*Less street parking
*More parking structures in courtyards
*Dead commercial space
*The eventual destruction of the most unique Russian-era building in the city.

If you can make sense of this, feel free to comment.

Bye-Bye Parking

2011-06-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

Baga Toiruu (Little Ring Road) is being totally overhauled and repaved. Drivers will soon be gliding along pot-hole free streets. But the city is strangely removing parking areas along this road. For example, in front of the Flower Center (where Peace Ave and Baga Toiruu meet) they have blocked off the parking area. The same has been done in front of the Golomt Bank up the road and other spots. Whether there is a logical explanation for this, or its just bad planning, is unknown.

One explanation is that the planners may be trying to increase green spaces where parking areas once were. But even if there are more green spaces, the traffic pile ups caused by a lack of parking could make matters worse. Drivers will inevitably have to stop to do business here and they will end up blocking courtyard entrances or perhaps they will just stop on the road and block a lane. I am including two photos below.

The first is the blocked off entrance to Golomt Bank. Now that customers cannot park here they are going to have to drive around looking for parking elsewhere, causing more cars on the road.

The second picture is what is think is better planning - a sidewalk, a small green area, and parking area. A good combination in a busy, commercial part of town.

The new road barrier blocks parking spaces in front of this bank. Customers may end up blocking a lane if they need to do business here. Or they are going to scramble around looking for limited parking in other areas, causing more traffic.

This example on Tourist Street (near Zanabazar Museum) is a good use of sidewalk, green space and parking.

Price Hikes at Children’s Park - Is There Any Free Public Space Left?

2011-06-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

The Children’s Park is no longer free. Entry is Tg1000 per adult. Small kids still get in free. Prices for rides have also increased, now about Tg4000 per ride. Compared to other amusement parks in other countries, the prices are comparable. It is a private business running the park so it’s not surprising that they would try to increase prices to recoup their investment and try to make a profit. However, this is a worrying trend. As it stands now there is not a single park in central UB that is free and open to the public. This diminishes the quality of life for UB residents, especially low income families that cannot afford to visit the Children’s Park.

Although it does not seem like it, there are a few places around UB that the city could be turned into free, public open space. Along the Selbe River there are several open lots that could be turned into parks, for example behind Royal Castle apartments or next to the US embassy.

And lets not forget that around 70% of the old Children’s Park is still undeveloped. This space could easily be landscaped and opened for public use. I imagine this area could have playing fields for football, walking paths, gardens etc. I am pretty sure that private companies have rights to all these spaces but the government could (and should) use its powers reclaim this land and hand it over to the public to use as park space.

Road Development Increases in 2011

2011-05-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

The Ulaanbaatar Road Construction department has seen its budget doubled this year and as a result there is a flurry of road building activity in UB. Here are a few of the current projects:

*University Road - The road between the Choibalsan statue and the Chinese Embassy has been repaved and is now open. It features a handy right turn lane that goes onto Ikh Suguuliin Gudamj. The road is still pretty narrow, as it stands now there is no room for a turn out, which make its difficult to pick up and drop off passengers (which is important in an area with lots of students). The road construction project is now being extended to the section of road just behind Parliament.

*Baga Toiruu (Little Ring Road) - This road is currently being torn up and widened. The project is still in its early stages. At some point in the next few weeks parts of Baga Toiruu will be closed. This is a big project so I am guessing that for the months of June and July most of this road will be closed off. The road construction department says that the big empty spaces along Baga Toiruu will be turned into parking areas and small green spaces.

*Central Tower / Foreign Ministry - This intersection does not link up well (the streets are about 50m apart), so the city is reconfiguring the intersection so it connects a little bit better. There are left and right turn lanes being added. I am interested to see how this is going to turn out. It also looks like Ikh Suurgullin Gudamj (which runs along the east side of the square) is going to be a two-way street (its currently one way heading north).

*Tserendorjiin Gudamj - This street (between the State Department Store and the Circus) - is finally getting an upgrade. Its about time. When complete this will definitely improve this area, which lately had been really falling apart.

*Some courtyards are getting repaved. I have seen this is the courtyard at the Golden Gobi Guesthouse and behind the History Museum. A good start.

*The Liberty Square / Sambuu Street project is nearly complete. They have added a natural stone walkway in the middle of Sambuu Street, which looks nice but is pretty inaccessible for anyone with a baby stroller or wheel chair (its too bumpy). But the square is a great addition to the city and I have seen lots of kids out there flying kites and riding bikes. The concrete blue whale is still there but I fear his days are numbered.

Newly paved street at the University area.

Natural stone walkway near Tengis Kino.

Newly built Liberty Square by Tengis Kino.

Hoops in Sukhbaatar Square

2010-11-03T22:28:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, before the cold set in, I was walking through Sukhbaatar Square and found a basketball tournament in progress. The participants were students from the nearby University of Mongolia. Always nice to see public spaces actually being used by the public! It'd be nice to see mini tournaments like this all summer. It was good fun for students and spectators who gathered to watch. See pic below.

Public restroom for Lenin Park

2010-10-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

The latest innovation in Ulaanbaatar may be the coming of a public toilet. It looks like one of these is going to be built in front of the Ulaanbaatar Hotel, close to the Lenin statue. They’ve put up a fence and drawing of the ‘City Toilet’ that is under construction. Ideas like this will certainly help in making UB a cleaner, healthier city.

Sukhbaatar To Be Bronzed

2010-10-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

The iconic statue of Sukhbaatar in Sukhbaatar Square was removed recently and the center of the square is fenced off. Apparently a new bronze statue of Sukhbaatar will be placed in the square, replacing the old concrete statue. With Chingis Khaan now bronzed at the top of the square, perhaps some Sukhbaatar fans demanded an upgrade for the young revolutionary. The new statue is meant to be ready in February. A pic of the destruction...

Sambuu Street Improvements

2010-10-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

Sambuu Street received a nice upgrade last month. This is the street that runs from Gesar Sum to Little Ring Road, past Tengis Movie Theater. The street was repaved and the park / road divider was cleaned up and grass has been planted. A shiny new green fence has been installed along the perimeter of the park, which I guess is designed to prevent people from running across the road. There is still some work to be done along the sidewalks of this street. I have been told that some natural stone will be used to pave the sidewalks, which would be a nice improvement. Above are some pics of the new street

Chinggis Khaan Ave Upgrade

2010-10-04T18:06:00.001-07:00

Chinggis Khaan Road newly sealed

Chinggis Khaan Ave looking south.

Chinggis Khaan Ave north of the Peace Bridge has been resurfaced and slightly widened. It opened up today, improving the traffic, which was horrendous on Monday. The point where the avenue meets Jamyn Gunii Gudamm was widened a little, which will help traffic flow. The project follows the resurfacing of Sambuugiin Gudamj. Both streets now flow a little better and rides are certainly much smoother.

While its great that some of the streets have been resurfaced it would be nice to see an extra parallel parking lane added to these streets. One reason why traffic often gets blocked up is because cars do not have a lane to pull over to, when picking up or dropping off passengers. The lack of an extra parking lane or road apron means that whenever a car stops it clogs up traffic. Just a thought.

25% of the Children's Park Re-Opens

2010-09-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

One quarter of the Children’s Park has officially re-opened. The portion of the park that re-opened is the Amusement Area, located in the southeast corner of the park. It’s a compact area with a number of rides and games for small children.

The company that re-constructed the park, Bodi Group, should get kudos for the job they’ve done. It’s a first rate job, well designed and with a number of activities. Some of the rides include a ferris wheel, a Merry-go-round, a pirates ship, and bumper cars. Entry to the park is free but you have to buy individual tickets for each ride. Each ride costs about T2000 to T2500. They kept the small lake which existed before (and even kept the fish!). They are still working on parts of it – it looks like they will add a restaurant and picnic area. I like the fact that you can just stroll around for free even if you don’t want to go on the rides. Free parking is another nice bonus.

Now of course the big question is, what happens to the rest of the park? A Shangri-La hotel is rising up in the northeast corner of the park but there are still vast areas that have yet to be developed. I hold out hope that the rest of the area will remain a park in a true sense of the word, that is, an open space of grass, trees, walkways and playing fields. Bottom line is that the new amusement park is a great place to take small kids but its of limited interest for people over the age of 13 or 14. Let's hope that UB city authorities will reclaim the land from whoever owns it, keep it as a park, and open it to the general public.

In the meantime, the following are some pictures of the newly opened amusement park.

New Developments Planned

2010-09-26T17:31:00.000-07:00

In a previous post I mentioned that I had visited the planning department at City Hall. While I was there I took pictures of their Master Planning Map. I took a closer look at the map and found some things on it that are worth noting.

The first thing is that the construction happening across the road from the Dunjin Garal apartments is not a going to be a park, as many people had thought. Its going to be more apartments! On the map the development is called “Olympiin Hoton”. So anyone who bought an apartment in Dunjiin Garal and thought that they would get a front view of the new National Park is instead going to be looking at more apartments. Construction of Olympiin Hoton has already started.

However, the good news is that on the other side of Olympiin Hoton there are plans to build a massive open parkland that will stretch all the way to the Tuul River. Let’s all hope that the plan to build this National Park will one day become a reality.

The big map also indicates the following projects:

*A north-south road from the US embassy all the way down to Narny Gudanj. Part of this has already been built but they would still need to construct the section from Orchlon School down to Peace Ave.

*A complete Big Ring Road, with a section going from the old tank location east to Olympic Street, then looping north to connect with the Big Ring Road.

*A redeveloped area around Gandan Monastery

*A redeveloped area north of the Big Ring Road, which practically looks like a whole new downtown area. If this is indeed a new commercial area it would take a lot of pressure off Peace Ave.

*A redeveloped area north of the 3/4 micro-discrict.

*A new parkland and recreation area on the north bank of the Tuul River, across from Zaisan Tolgoi.

Of these, only the Big Ring Road project is currently being developed.

The following two photos show the design plans for the city. Notice in the first pic that the lower right corner has a large patch of green, that is intended to be the future National Park.

The second picture shows the plans for the area around the Naadam Stadium. What is most interesting in the recreation area along the north bank of the Tuul River, opposite Zaisan.

SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS

2010-08-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

If you have been walking around UB over the past week or two you may have noticed the flurry of landscaping happening on some of the downtown sidewalks. Actually the improvements are not really on the sidewalks but on the grassy areas that separate the sidewalks from the street. I have seen workers clearing out these areas and planting grass.

Most of the work has been happening in Juulchin Gudamj – the road that runs from Urt Tsagaan to the Government House. Probably the best job has been along the stretch of road in front of the Mongolian KGB office. I think the main reason this works is because it’s just a narrow sidewalk and strip of grass. Nothing fancy, nothing grandiose, but it works well. As you walk past the National Museum and turn left towards, the sidewalk improvement continues right up to the next intersection.

This week the landscapers have started to clear about the overgrowth along Peace Ave, on the southern side of the road, between the Russian Embassy and Center Point. A good thing since Peace Ave hasn’t seen a rake or shovel since Brezhnev was in office. Expect to see a nicer Peace Ave in the coming weeks.

Some pix of the recent progress…

Big Plans for Liberty Square

2010-08-03T02:34:00.000-07:00

I passed by Liberty Square (the square in front of Tengis movie theater) the other day and found the whole thing closed off and surrounded by a big metal fence. A huge billboard outside the fence indicates that the square is being renovated. According to the schematics it will have new benches, a fountain and parking spaces. It all looks pretty flash and should be a nice improvement over the old square, which was just an empty patch of concrete. Hopefully it will all come off as advertised. The new square, the movie theater and a hip new café here called UB40 should breath new life into this area.

Here are some pictures of the billboard…

Billboard advertising the new square

A Plan for Pay Parking Lots in Ulaanbaatar

2010-07-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

A plan is in the works for create pay parking lots in Ulaanbaatar. About a dozen lots around the city have been tapped for the plan. About 75% of the spaces are for short term parking and 25 percent for long term overnight parking. Hopefully the money raised by the parking lots will be used to fill in the potholes in other parts of the city! Exactly when these parking lots will be built remains an open question.

The location of the lots include:

*240 spaces at the southern end of Sukhbaatar Square

*71 spaces in front of the Drama Theater

*165 spaces next to the New Children’s Palace (across from Bayangol Hotel)

*216 spaces at the In front of the Ulaanbaatar Hotel

*120 spaces at Builders Square

*159 spaces in front of Yalalt Kino

*118 spaces at Dalai Eej

*96 spaces in front of the Sports Palace

*54 spaces at Zamiin Tsagdaa

*103 spaces at the Train Station

Attached are drawings of what the parking lots would look like…

Drama Theater Parking

Drama Theater

New Children's Palace Parking

Sarnii Titem (New Childrens Palace)

Sukhbaatar Square Parking

Sukhbaatar Square (south end)

Denver Street Opened

2010-07-18T21:57:00.000-07:00

First there was Seoul Street, then Tokyo Street, now Ulaanbaatar has Denver Street. That’s right, another Sister City has renamed a street in Ulaanbaatar given it a makeover. This time the city of Denver, USA has gotten into the act.

Unlike Seoul Street and Tokyo Street, which existed before but were spruced up and renamed, Denver Street was created from scratch. A brand spankin’ new stretch of asphalt - a rare but appreciated phenomenon in Ulaanbaatar.

The street occupies the west bank of the Selbe River between Big Ring Road and Zaluuchuudin Ave. In other words, it runs from the US embassy south to the next to the next cross street. It does not continue down the Selbe River to link up with Peace Avenue, which would have been helpful from a traffic point of view, but instead veers onto Zaluuchuudin Street near the Orchlon School.

Formerly a patch of waste ground its now a two-way street with sidewalks, streetlights and benches. But it does not look finished. The street has no trees, no playgrounds, no parks. Not even a sign announcing ‘Welcome to Denver Street’ or some such. It’s pretty much just a street like any other street in UB. Although in fairness the city of Denver tells me (by email) that more improvements are planned for the area. It’s still a work in progress. We’ll just have to wait and see what they do.

The street does have the potential for improvement but there is just one problem – the location. Pedestrians are a rare sight here. Some motor traffic uses it but probably the biggest beneficiaries are people going to and from work at the US embassy (and Lao embassy next door). If the street is meant to improve the urban experience for ordinary citizens of UB, some more work is needed.

Hopefully in the future the road will be extended south to link up with Peace Ave and then continue south to meet the recently built road the runs down to Narny Zam. If done right, it could be a nice area for walkers, joggers and bikers. A bit more green space would attract picnickers and park-goers. This street is worth watching and in time, with some more effort, might just become a new UB landmark.

What would you like to see added to Denver Street? Please add your comments below and they will passed along to the powers that be in Denver.

Here are some pix of the new street...

A Sprinkling of New Parks

2010-07-15T17:55:00.000-07:00

A handful of small parks have been popping up near Sukhbaatar Square. The best one is the plaza in front of the Shangri-La building. It has all the ingredients of an actual park - cobblestone walkways, a fountain, a grassy lawn and benches.

Attached to the plaza (between the plaza and the Lenin statue) is a new park that seems to have been built with money donated from Turkey. It also contains new walkways and a fountain. The Turks actually built their park on top of an existing park, but it’s a nice improvement.

Lastly, the little park on the east end of Juulchin Gudamj (opposite the KGB office) has been renovated. This park was built by one of Mongolia’s retired sumo wrestlers, which is why it has a slightly Japanese tea garden feel to it. It had been falling apart in recent years and was spruced up earlier this month.

I am holding out hope that the city of Ulaanbaatar will follow the example set by these private companies and donors and build some parks on its own dime. And hopefully the example set by Shangri-La, the Turks and the sumo wrestler will inspire other local companies to the same. My suggestion for any park builders out there – include a playground in your blueprints. UB's kids will thank you for it.

Here are some pics of the new parks…

We Have a Plan

2010-07-08T04:19:00.000-07:00

I popped by the Ulaanbaatar Planning Office today for a streets and parks update. The department is located inside the City Hall building, the large black glass structure on the west side of Sukhbaatar Square. I have visited the department a number of times, but had never been to their display room. Got a chance to see it today.

The display room is on the 13^th floor of this building. Here you can see the department's maps, models and design schematics. The plans include the redevelopment of entire districts, the construction of industrial parks, recreation areas and highways. This is no joke. Serious work had been put into these models and I must admit that I was pretty impressed by their plans. Whether or not the city can find the money to actually put any of these plans into action is a different matter altogether, but for now it’s just nice to dream. If you’ve got an interest in town planning of the future of UB (and if you are reading this blog you probably do), then take a gander down to City Hall and check out this impressive exhibit.

Here are a few of the projects they have on display:

*Plans for new pay parking areas: Sukhbaatar Square, Builders Square, next to the New Children’s Palace and other areas. (should not be to hard to implement)

*Big Ring Road – essentially a highway that will encircle downtown. It includes overpasses to get over the railway and a new road that skirts south of the Naadam Stadium (Construction of this project has already started but could take years to finish)

*Riverside Park – along the north bank of the Tuul River. (One of their best ideas. This will promote green spaces and outdoor activities)

*New district around the airport featuring a modern sports stadium (the stadium is nearly finished)

*Modernization of the ger district the circles Gandan Monastery (would take a long time to move residents out)

*Construction of an enormous Buddhist monument on the hill behind Gesar Sum. (This project has been in the planning stages for over 10 years)

*Construction of a national park in the southeast corner of the city. (Looks like this will go ahead, but will take several years to complete).

*Several schematics for the redevelopment of the districts on the outskirts of the city (we're decades away from these to see the light of day).

COMMENTARY: A Traffic Solution?

2010-07-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

The traffic in Ulaanbaatar is at a standstill. All the time, every day. The streets are so clogged that it could take 30 minutes to an hour just to travel a mile or two across downtown. This is not a problem of too many cars it’s a problem of not enough streets. The traffic problem is more than nuisance; it’s a danger. Emergency vehicles, police cars and fire engines can no longer get around the city. Pedestrians consider themselves fortunate if they make it across the street in one piece.

The city of Ulaanbaatar has taken some steps to alleviate this problem. A new road has opened that connects Olympic street to the Big Ring Road. Some of the alleys between apartment blocks have been upgraded to drivable roads. A pedestrian tunnel was built under the road near the Teacher’s College.

But these small measures have so far had no impact and the traffic continues to worsen by the day. What might help, someday, is the new Big Ring Road being constructed around the city. But this will not be complete for several years.

So can anything be done in the meantime? I think so. In 2008, a few weeks before the Olympics, the authorities in Beijing launched a new traffic scheme. According to the plan, cars that had license plates ending in an odd number were allowed to drive on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Cars that had a license plate ending in an even number could drive on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Anyone could drive on Sunday. A driver driving on the wrong day could be pulled over, fined and have his license suspended. I think such a plan would be worth trying in Ulaanbaatar, at least until a better road network can be constructed. Besides relieving traffic there are other side effects, such as improved air quality and safer streets. The plan would likely increase the use of public transportation, ride sharing or biking. If nothing else, it would get people out of their vehicles and walking more.

Anyone else have any ideas how to alleviate traffic in UB? Please send me your comments.

Seoul Street Makeover

2010-07-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

Seoul Street, a major artery in downtown Ulaanbaatar has seen some nice renovation work over the past couple of weeks. Pine trees have been planted along portions of the street, brick sidewalks have been laid down and new street lights installed. Low railings have been put in place to prevent people from walking over the lawn (which has not yet grown). They have even added some benches and garbage cans.

Most of the work has been done between the Drama Theater and the Circus, on the south side of the street. The north side of the street, along the edge of the Russian embassy and Presidential Palace, has not been touched. What has been done is quite tasteful and seems like it should last longer than the last renovation job done on this street, about 10 years ago.

The renovated section probably accounts for about 20% Seoul Street. Still, anything is better than nothing and I must say that this is now probably the best pedestrian street in the city.

New National Park Planned

2010-03-12T19:44:00.001-08:00

It looks like plans are afoot to establish a new city park in the south of the city. It will be located between the train tracks and the Tuul River. Nothing has ever been built on this land because under the ground is the ground water that is used for the city drinking water. I saw some pictures of this future park. Bike paths, water fountains, gardens etc. Looks great if they can ever pull it off.

Note that the city is taking donations for this park. You can drop some togrogs in the box, which is located in the State Department Store, next to the money changer on the ground floor.

Children's Park Re-Opening Delayed

2010-03-12T19:14:00.000-08:00

I went to Bodi group this week and asked about the status of the Children’s Park. One of the planners there said it won’t be ready this summer but are planning to open some time in the fall. Sounds like October at the earliest. They are building an indoor entertainment complex and food court, which is expected to be open next winter.

I did go past the Children’s Park a couple of times. Even though its all fenced off you can see that some progress has been made. A large Ferris wheel looms over the park and you can see the roofs of some buildings.

Looking at the sample plans they have in their office, it’s clear that the park will not occupy the entire dimensions of the old park. It looks like its maybe only 40% of the old park, occupying the south east quadrant of the park.

Meanwhile, progress also continues on the Shangri-La hotel, which is being built on the north east corner of the old park. An enormous mound of dirt looms over the fence.

ULAN BATOR’S EXPANDING GER CITIES

2009-10-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

South China Morning Post
OCTOBER 8, 2009

By Michael Kohn

On the gritty outskirts of Ulan Bator, where heavy trucks lumber along pot-holed roads and packs of mangy dogs patrol garbage-strewn alleys, a shiny new billboard is attracting curious onlookers.

The sign describes an ambitious plan to modernize the neighborhood, the 11th ward of Bayanhoshuu District, raising it from slum-like conditions to the first-world in a flash.

A “before” image on the sign shows the neighborhood’s current layout of uneven streets, dead-ends and labyrinth of alleyways. To the right, an “after” image promises a sort of American suburbia experience of neatly trimmed lawns, sidewalks and quaint bungalows in the shade of poplar trees.

“This is our dream,” says community organizer Lhamsuren Ragchabazar. “If we can redesign the neighborhood people will have more conveniences and a better standard of living.”

The plan may sound like fantasy for this poor country, but Ragchabazar was undeterred. A crafty land readjustment scheme, he explains, will fund the project.

Residents are being asked to give a portion of their property, fences will be moved closer together and the excess land will be sold to raise money for much-needed infrastructure like roads and plumbing.

“One needs to give up something in order to get something better in return,” says Hirano Ryuko, a project advisor for JICA, which is supporting the government initiative. “Properties will be smaller but will have more value if the neighborhood is in better shape.”

But only a handful of the families in the neighborhood have signed up for the plan.

“Land readjustment programs take 10 to 15 years,” says Tsedendash Tulga, the head of Ulan Bator’s Land Management and Planning Division. “It can take that long just to change the mind of the community.”

And so it goes for Ulan Bator’s amoeba-like outer districts, which have sprawled out of control over the past two decades. Migrants from rural Mongolia have flooded the capital in search of work; most of the new arrivals end up in peri-urban settlements like Bayanhoshuu.

They bring with them their gers, the round felt tents used by nomads. The widespread use of the ger gives the districts a sense of impermanence, as if the residents may just pack up and return to the steppes one day. The wood fences dividing the gers create a maze of walls reminiscent of frontier outposts of the American west.

The tents are not new to the city. Since its early days in the mid-1600s the residents had a habit of moving the town every few years, until it eventually came to rest at its current location in 1778. Traditionally the gers were set up like a protective ring around the main monastery, Gandantegchinlin. The city grew rapidly during 20th century when Soviet town planners arrived with blueprints for a modern urban core. But most of the ger districts remained, expanded into valleys.

Migrants continue to arrive and occupy any possible patch of earth, often in flood prone areas. Last July eight people in Ulan Bator died in floods when their gers, placed in steep sided gullies, were washed away.

The uncontrolled growth of the ger areas means that no space has been set aside for roads, let alone basic necessities such as underground sewerage systems.

In Bayanhoshuu, residents line up outside a pump house for water, which they cart it home in plastic barrels. Hot showers can be had at a local bathhouse, though it’s too small to accommodate the needs the 10,000 district residents.

“It’s a difficult life because we have to go a long way for water,” says Puruvdulam Tsetsegee, a retired state employee who lives in the neighborhood. “And showers are very expensive. We have a family of six and each shower costs Tg1800 ($1.25). On top of this we have buy food and other necessities so it really adds up.”

Problems are exacerbated in winter when temperatures plummet to minus 30 degrees Celsius. Residents keep warm by burning coal or wood in their pot-bellied stoves, although this of little use during midnight runs to the nearest outhouse.

In winter, the accumulated soot caused by tens of thousands of stoves creates an appalling black cloud that engulfs the entire city. This winter an estimated 700,000 tons of coal is needed to supply the city’s 160,000 ger district families.

The situation is not helped by Ulaanbaatar’s topography – it’s almost completely surrounded by low mountains that trap the poisonous air until a strong wind can blow it away.

The smog has had detrimental affects on the health of the population. The number respiratory diseases among children under five is three times greater in Ulaanbaatar compared to children living outside the city.

Planners say the long-term goal is to install central heating in the ger districts, thereby reducing their dependence on coal. But that could take decades.

The task of sorting out this mess has been left to Tulga, who occupies a small office in Ulan Bator’s gleaming new City Hall. He said almost three quarters of city residents live in ger districts and the challenge of moving them to apartments is hampered by the increasing numbers of new migrants.

“It is difficult to control migration. The people have a constitutional right to live where ever they want so we can’t stop them from moving to the capital,” Tulga explains.

A lack of zoning laws means that newly arrived to pitch their tents where ever they please. The city is dealing with that problem by dividing the ger districts into three categories.

Zone One, closest to the urban core, will be transformed into mixed-use housing with apartments and commercial areas. Zone Two, slightly farther out, will remain ger districts, only better organized and connected to the urban infrastructure. Zone Three, mainly the new developments on the outskirts, will be torn down and returned to its natural state.

People currently living in Zone Three will be moved to other parts of the city, increasing the density of the capital but reducing the sprawl that has wrought environmental problems like pollution and land degradation.

The urban crush has had a ripple effect on Ulan Bator’s city center, where once empty boulevards now teem with Korean taxis, Humvees and Landcruisers. During the mid-day rush hour it can take 30 minutes to drive three kilometers across the city center.

“We cannot blame one person, like the mayor the prime minister. Every city worker is jointly responsible for these issues. We all have to come together to solve these problems,” said Tulga.

The city has recently given him a boost by installing streets lights around back alleys of
Bayanhoshuu. Some of the lights are solar-powered, part of a government effort to use environmentally friendly technology.

But despite the token gestures by City Hall, Tulga admits the onus is on the public to reform their own neighborhoods.

“The main purpose of the pilot project is to show the community that it can work with the city to make necessary changes for a better life,” he said.

AN ANSWER COMMETH

2009-09-27T03:08:00.000-07:00

Many of my questions about the Children’s Park were answered recently when I met with people from the Bodi Corporation. Since my last post I have learned that Bodi is the principle investor in the park, so I paid an visit to their offices, located just off Sukhbaatar Square.

I spoke with Souger, the project manager for the “National Amusement Park”, which is being built by Bodi. He was cordial and open to revealing plans for a park. But first he gave a little background. Why has the park been closed for five years? I asked.

He summed up the mess in the park by saying that “land disputes” had caused a delay in the construction of the park, but everything seems to be resolved and its now full steam ahead. He didn’t go into detail about what these land disputes were, but they must have been ugly.

Souger explained that MCS and Shangri-La have managed to secure one corner of the park and they are now developing it into a hotel. This land grab should not have happened but fortunately it was just one corner of the park, representing probably 15-20% of the total space.

The other 80% of the land is controlled by Bodi, which seems to have some sort of joint ownership with the city. Personally, I do not subscribe to the belief that city parkland should be handed over to a private company to develop an amusement park (or anything for that matter).

I would have preferred that the city take on the responsibility for maintaining the park but they were clearly in no position to build any rides, which is why the land was handed over to Bodi. Unfortuantely, the city simply handed over too much of the park for commercialization. It seems that Bodi is under no obligation to leave any part of the park as open space. In theory they could develop the entire park into one giant money making venture.

I saw the plans of the park. It’s going to have roller coasters and various other rides, a food court, an indoor activities center (which will be open year round) and a barbeque area. As Souger explained to me, there would be a small entry fee (he said Tg500) and each ride would cost around Tg1000 to Tg2000.

So the big question was, will there be any open space left? A grassy space to sit down with a book perhaps? A trail for jogging and biking? A field for pick-up soccer games and picnics? The answer is unclear.

Clearly, Bodi is in this to make money. So they have little incentive to leave much open space. And even if they do leave open space they may end up charging people to enter it. This issue was seems to not be finalized but one hopes that the developers see the light of day and allow some part of the park to be free, open space for anybody’s use.

The park is meant to open in July 2010. If you have any suggestions for the development of the park, you can mail them to National Amusement Park, #400 Bodi Tower, Jigjidjav St, Ulaanbaatar 15160. Address your letter to Souger.

The Children's Park - July 2009 update

2009-07-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

Finally had a chance to get down the Children’s Park. There is good news and there is bad news. First the good news: most of the park is still untouched and undeveloped. In fact, about 90 percent of it has been completely abandoned to the point where weeds and trees are growing over the pathways like some Lost World. I tried jogging through the park but it’s so overgrown that you kind of have to wade through it.

Now the bad news: the park is still fenced off and more or less closed to the public. I was able to get in by the one and only entrance near the Seoul Restaurant, but it’s clearly not meant for public use. It seems like only a matter of time before the land is somehow developed. In fact, some development has already begun. Specifically, the northeast corner of the park, which has been fenced off and cleared by earthmovers. There is no construction yet but it looks like someone is getting ready to build something there. I would estimate that this constitutes about 10% of the total park land. Now, there is one other part of the park that is being developed. You probably recall that the park had a lake. Well, this lake has been drained but it looks like its being repaired so that it can be filled again. Some trees have been planted around this lake. There is nothing really to indicate what it is being prepared for, but if I can crack this case I will let y’all know.

2009-01-13T12:58:00.000-08:00

The following article regarding the park was published in November 08. The long and short of it is that Bodi, which Korean financing, plans to build an amusement park in the Children's Park. Details are scant. Will there be any open space leftover? How much will it cost to enter? Will apartments or commercial space occupy this property? The interviewer does not address these critical issues.

“Диснейлэнд”-ийн эхний ээлжийн хvvхдийн баяраар ашиглалтад орно /2008-11-14/

Yндэсний соёл амралтын хvрээлэнг “Бодь групп” Японы “Иточу” корпорацитай хамтран шинэчлэх болсон тухай мэдээлэл цацагдсанаас хойш багагvй хугацаа өнгөрлөө. Хvvхдvvд дэлхийд алдартай “Диснейлэнд”-ээс дутахгvй тоглоом тоглож, зугаалах том парктай болох мөрөөдлөө гээгээгvй яваа. Гэтэл сvvлийн vед “Голомт” банктай холбоотой цуурхал олон нийтэд хvрч “Иточу” корпораци болон “Бодь групп” МYСАХ-г шинэчлэх санхvvгийн боломжгvй болсон мэтээр мэдээлсэн нь анхаарал татсан юм. Энэ тухай МYСАХ-ийн зохицуулагч Б.Батнягтаас тодрууллаа.

-Хvvхдийн паркийг дахин шинээр байгуулах төслийг “Бодь групп” авч байхад сайн ажиллах байх гэж бодож байсан. Гэсэн ч энэ vеэс хойш хоёр жил өнгөрчихөөд байхад хийсэн бvтээсэн юм харагдахгvй байна. Ямар шалтгаанаар хугацаа алдахад хvрэв?

-Шалтгаан нь Хvvхдийн паркийн асуудал , газрын маргаантай холбоотой. Бид ажлаа эхлvvлэхийн тулд нийслэлээс зөвшөөрөл авч судалж vзсэн. Орц гарц нь хаанаа байх юм, хvмvvс хаагуураа явах, тоглоом нь хаанаа суурилах гэхчилэн судлах юм ч олон байлаа. Хуучин паркын тоглоомууд нь хоцрогдсон, өр зээлтэй, хvмvvс тоож очихоо больчихоод байсан шvv дээ. Бас аюулгvй байдлын талаасаа найдваргvй байлаа. Энэ бvхнийг шинэчилсэн шиг шинэчилье. Монголын хvvхдvvд яагаад бусад орны багачуудтай адил өндөр зэрэглэлийн Диснейлэндэд тоглох эрхгvй гэж. Ийм л урам зоригтойгоор ажлаа эхлvvлсэн. Гэтэл газрын маргаан бараг хоёр жил шахам vргэлжиллээ. Саяхнаас маргаан шийдэгдэж, өмнөх эрхээ өөрийн болгочихоод байтал дахиад л цуу яриа дэгдлээ. “Голомт” банкны бизнесийн нэр хvндэд халдаж, зориуд гvтгэлэг тараахын тулд Хvvхдийн паркийг дунд нь хутгаж байна.

-Газрын маргаан Хvvхдийн паркийн зураг төсөлд нөлөөлсөн vv? Ирээдvйн “Диснейлэнд”-ийн зураг төслийг хэрхэн хийснийг сонирхуулаач?

-Зураг төслөө Солонгосын компаниар хийлгэсэн. Энэ явцад зураг дээрээ хоёр ч удаа өөрчлөлт хийлээ. Орох хаалгаа зvvн талдаа болгоё гэтэл тэр газрыг өөр компани авчихсан байсан. Тэр компанийн газрыг судлаад vзтэл зөвшөөрөл авах эрхгvй компани энэ газрыг авсан байсан. Тухайн vед бид энэ асуудлыг нийслэлийн удирдлагуудад өргөн барьж, газар эзэмших эрхийг нь цуцалсан. Захиргааны хэргийн шvvх хурал нэг жил долоон сар гаруй vргэлжиллээ. Энэ мэтийн асуудлаас vvдэн хугацаа алдсан юм бий. Асуудлаа шийдvvлэх явцад бид Канадын компанид хандаж зураг төслөө vзvvлсэн. Канадын уур амьсгал нь манай оронтой адилхан болохоор тэд илvv туршлагатай, Монголын нөхцөлд зохицсон зураг төсөл хийж чадах байлаа. Yнэхээр ч тэд бидний зургийг vзэж судалсан, манай оронд гурван ч удаа ирж vзсэний эцэст тэд ажлаа хийж эхэлсэн. Yvнтэй зэрэгцэн газрын маргаан vргэлжилсээр л байсан.

-Тэгээд хvvхэд багачууд, эцэг эхчvvдэд дуулгах сайн мэдээ байна уу?

-Сайн мэдээ гэвэл одоо газрын маргаан эцсийн байдлаар шийдэгдчихсэн байгаа. Бид газраа баталгаажуулж авснаар гол ажил руугаа орох боломжтой боллоо.

-Одоо ажлын явц ямар байна? Ямар ч гэсэн хуучин тоглоомнуудыг буулгасан харагдсан?

-Алсыг харагчаас бусад тоглоомыг буулгасан. Хуучин тоглоомын ихэнх нь хөдөө аймгууд руу явсан. Шинээр 13 тоглоом суурилуулах ёстойгоос найм нь Улаанбаатарт ирчихээд байна. Маргааш дахин дөрвөн тоглоомоо буулгаж авна. Yлдсэн тоглоомууд тун удахгvй Монголд ирнэ.

-МYСАХ төслийн хөрөнгө оруулалт зогссон мэтээр зарим хэвлэлд мэдээлсэн. Энэ талаар төслийн зохицуулагчийн хувьд ямар хариу хэлэх вэ?

-Дөрвөн тэрбум төгрөг төлөвлөснөөс одоогийн байдлаар гурван тэрбумын хөрөнгө оруулалт хийгдчихээд байна. Хөрөнгө оруулалт зогссон юм байхгvй. Энэ бол зориуд тарааж байгаа гvтгэлэг гэдгийг хэлмээр байна. Миний дээр хэлсэнчлэн “Голомт” банкны vйл ажиллагааг доголдуулах зорилгоор тараасан цуурхлаа vнэмшилтэй болгохын тулд МYСАХ төслийн хөрөнгө оруулалтын асуудлыг зориуд хөндсөн гэж vзэж байна. Хөрөнгө оруулалт зогсоогvй гэдгийг би нэг л зvйлээр баталъя. Өчигдөрхөн манайх шинээр ирж байгаа дөрвөн тоглоомын тээврийн зардал, гаалийн татварт 100 мянга орчим ам.долларыг төлсөн.

-Хvvхдийн паркийг шинэчлэх ажил хэвийн явагдаж байгаа юм байна. Гэхдээ нэг зvйлийг тодруулахгvй бол болохгvй нь. Хvvхдvvд маань хэзээ шинэ Диснейлэндэд тоглох вэ?

-Газрын маргаан зэрэг зарим зvйлээс болоод хугацаа их алдсан гэдгийг тvрvvн хэлсэн шvv дээ. Хvйтэн сэрvvний улирал эхэлсэн нь ажлын явцад тодорхой хэмжээгээр саад учруулж байгааг манайхан ойлгох байх. Гэхдээ гурван шатлалтайгаар ажил өрнөж байна. Нуур тойрсон тоглоомын хэсэг, амарч зугаалах, салхилах томоохон ногоон байгууламж, худалдаа vйлчилгээний цэг гэсэн зохион байгуулалтын хуваарийн дагуу ажиллана. Миний хэлж чадах зvйл гэвэл ямар ч гэсэн Хvvхдийн паркийн нэгээхэн хэсэг нь ирэх оны зургадугаар сарын 1 гэхэд ашиглалтанд орж, хvvхдvvд тоглох боломжтой болно. Тэгэхдээ байгаль цаг уур, элдэв шат дамжлага, тээвэрлэлт, зөөврийн асуудал гээд олон хvчин зvйл vvнд нөлөөлнө гэдгийг бас хэлье.

Зууны мэдээ

Friends of the Park NGO

2008-11-02T13:08:00.000-08:00

While I know that our letter writing campaign will raise awareness of this cause, I think a more organized effort is needed to protect the Children’s Park and other open spaces in Ulaanbaatar. The way forward would be the creation of a conservancy like the one that protects New York City’s Central Park. There are many other models to use, such as the San Francisco Park’s Trust and The Royal Parks in London. Obviously, the first goal of the Children’s Park conservancy would be to make sure the park does not disappear altogether! Having accomplished that it would work to protect all open spaces in Ulaanbaatar (well, those that still exist, anyway).

A conservancy that could be registered as an NGO would be most effectively initiated by Mongolians based in Ulaanbaatar. If any UB-based Mongolians reading this blog feels passionate about saving the last open spaces in the city, please feel free to contact me. I’d be happy to discuss ideas.

A Letter to the President

2008-11-02T13:06:00.001-08:00

While I feel that the prime minister can help our cause immeasurably, we should not forget the considerable influence that President Enkhbayar wields in Mongolia. If you are still thinking of sending in a letter of the support for the park, I request that you please send in two letters, one addressed to the prime minister and one addressed to the president. Both letters will reach their respective destinations. Thanks also to everyone who has already mailed a letter, I’ll make sure it gets to Prime Minister Bayar.

Letter Writing Campaign

2008-10-26T14:53:00.000-07:00

In order to save the Children’s Park we’ve got to start somewhere. A letter writing campaign seems like a good place to raise awareness. I plan to collect letters and hand-deliver them to Prime Minister Bayar. If you would like to have your letter delivered to Prime Minister Bayar, please type it out, sign it at the bottom and mail to the following address:

Michael Kohn

Children’s Park Campaign

1045 Macadamia Dr

Burlingame, CA 94010

USA

The following is a form letter you can use to copy, print out, sign and send. You can add to it by writing your own thoughts, concerns and stories. It’s just a template to get you started. Please try to send your letters by November 15…

***

Dear Prime Minster Bayar,

I am writing to you out of concern for the closed Children’s Park. I understand that the park has been slated for redevelopment and will be filled with apartment blocks and office buildings. I regret this decision and urge you to take any means from developing the park commercially. It must remain a public place for use by the citizens of Ulaanbaatar.

As the only park in the city it needs to be preserved and maintained for the benefit of all Mongolians. The park is a haven of peace and quiet in the center of the busy city, a place where families can relax and children can play. Saving the park will promote good health as citizens can use it for walking, jogging and biking. The park is a monument for the city and admired by foreign visitors who come to Ulaanbaatar for business and pleasure. The park breaks up the urban sprawl and its greenery reduces air pollution.

The park does not need major redevelopment. It does not need a fancy amusement park or shops. It should be saved as an open space with pathways, small ponds, grassy fields and trees. I urge you to stop any development projects and to save the Children's Park for future generations of Monglians.

Thank you,

Facebook Following

2008-10-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

I’ve started a Facebook group to rally more online support and awareness of the shenanigans going down in the Children’s Park. Here is the link. Follow it, get on it!

An Open Letter to the Concerned Residents of Ulaanbaatar

2008-10-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

Children’s Park – Doomed?

Is the city of Ulaanbaatar, a metropolis with more than one million people, about to lose its one and only park? Its sounds hard to believe but come this time next year the park may be lost forever.

The Children’s Park was boarded up two years ago and has been closed ever since. The Japanese firm Itochu (along with Golomt Bank) said it planned to build an amusement park, which never came to be. Now, rumor has it, the park has been divided up and sold to developers (including MCS) who plan to turn it into another drab gated apartment complex.

This would be utterly tragic. As it stands now the city has barely an inch of open space to walk freely, exercise and breathe fresh air. Last summer I had a hard time keeping in shape because there was simply no place to jog – by 8am the streets were clogged with traffic and fumes. Not only had the Children’s Park closed by numerous other playgrounds and fields have been stolen by greedy real estate developers.

I longed for a park, jogging track or open field on which to stretch my legs. Alas, there was no where to go, save the distant outskirts of the city. Parks are an essential part of any city and one is desperately needed in Ulaanbaatar

This Children’s Park belongs to the people of the Ulaanbaatar. The parties responsible for the sale of this park should explain their reasoning for selling property belonging to the people of Mongolia and account for the monies earned by it. How much was the park sold for and will the money be put into developing new open space for the public? The people of Ulaanbaatar surely have the right to know the answers to these questions.

When discussing this matter with Mongolians I received a common response, shoulders would shrug, people would complain about corrupt officials but lament that it was “too late” to do anything. On the contrary, it is not too late. No buildings have been built on the Children’s Park so it is still very possible to revoke the building permits and save the park for future generations. But once building does get started it will be impossible to reverse the course of action and the park will be lost forever. Now is the time to act.

If you care about Ulaanbaatar, quality of life in the city and the health of its citizens, please act now to save the park. Copy this letter and forward it to concerned parties and Mongolia’s Members of Parliament. There is strength in numbers so the more people who react to this critical issue the better chance we have of saving the park. Make your voice be heard!