Tallinn: No More Migrating Concrete Birds in Old Town
The City of Tallinn's on-again, off-again concrete pigeon experiment will not be expanded further, it was decided after discussions in town hall and low public ratings.
The city's Transport Department has done an about-face and removed the barriers from two streets in the Old Town, Rataskaevu and Aia, saying they did not accomplish their stated purpose.
"As for Väike-Karja tänav, we've looked things over with the rescue officials and police cars and ambulances can now get by," said the Transport Department's Talvo Rüütelmaa. "We had a meeting with the Rescue Board and their primary demand was that the stone pigeons not be fixed to the ground."
Local businesses have criticized the barriers, saying they blocked the most logical delivery routes in a neighborhood with one of Tallinn's highest concentrations of restaurants.
"Currently it is not planned to install any more concrete barriers in the Old Town," Rüütelmaa added.
He speculated that security cameras in the area were the reason that the concrete barriers were not removed by members of the public. In some other locations, vigilantes have moved barriers out of the way, Postimees reported.
Rüütelmaa said in the future, cameras and mailed fine notices will be the main method of enforcement.
Kristopher Rikken
