Gallery: Tallinn's Kalaranna Promenade finally officially opened to public
Construction of Kalaranna Promenade, a waterfront promenade and recreational space located between Patarei Sea Fortress and Linnahall, was completed nearly a year ago, but barriers blocking access to it remained up. Despite increasing efforts to keep people out, the promenade nonetheless grew in popularity over this summer — and on Friday, the barriers finally came down.
The opening of the waterfront promenade and park was a long-anticipated milestone for local residents and will make both Kalaranna Quarter and the entire neighborhood of Kalamaja an even more attractive living environment, said Maria Varblane, marketing director for real estate company Pro Kapital, which built and recently handed the promenade over to the City of Tallinn.
Despite only officially being opened to the public on Friday, many people have nonetheless already been enjoying the public space this summer, particularly during spells of warmer weather. People took to simply opening or lifting the barriers to get in, and even increasing numbers of wooden boards nailed to keep them shut didn't deter people from getting in.
Late Thursday evening, people were getting in and out of the fenced in area via gaps in the modular barrier fence located between the residential buildings at Kalaranna 8, as well as tipping off even strangers trapped in- or outside other parts of the fence to this access point.
Dozens upon dozens of people, groups of friends and families on foot, bikes and scooters walked, biked, read and even swam along the waterfront as the sun set behind Patarei Sea Fortress.
Expanding waterfront quarter
A total of eight buildings, a public square and a park and recreational space have been completed on the Kalaranna Quarter property located at Kalaranna 8. The park includes a slackline as well as a playground complete with zipline, swings, a slide and a jungle gym. Also rehauled are the adjacent harbor area and Kalarand Beach. An underground parking lot is located under the property which will allow the space to remain car-free.
Another four residential buildings and connected green spaces are slated to be built on the adjoining property located further toward Patarei Sea Fortress.
Kalaranna Quarter was designed by architects Mihkel Tüür and Ott Kadarik of Kadarik Tüür Arhitektid, with landscape design by Maarja Tüür and Kerttu Kõll (Sfäär Planeeringud) and residential interior design by Galina Burnakova.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
