Natalie Mets: I disagree that Tallinn's Old Town turning into ghetto
Tallinn city nightlife adviser Natalie Mets (SDE) does not agree with claims that the Estonian capital's Old Town has become an area where people feel like they can act with impunity. According to her, the area's biggest issue is excessive noise.
Residents of Tallinn's Old Town say it's no longer a safe place to live. They say it isn't the tourists that are the problem, but young folks from the outskirts of Tallinn and nearby municipalities. As [the City of Tallinn's] nightlife adviser, how would you respond to these statements? Do you think the Old Town has become unsafe for residents?
The foremost judges of a neighborhood's safety are its residents themselves. I'm in regular contact with Old Town residents, and based on these conversations, what stands out is the problem with noise – which is especially bad on weekends.
The Old Town has always been a place people enjoy spending their free time. Among other things, this is good because it stimulates the economy when people visit movie theaters, theaters as well as dining and entertainment establishments.
But above all, we have to consider the people who live in the Old Town. Unfortunately, both tourists as well as local visitors from elsewhere often fail to do so. It's easy to forget that the Old Town is someone's home too. Dark windows at 10 p.m. can give the impression that these buildings are empty, even though there are actually people sleeping behind those windows.
A local resident who spoke with "Aktuaalne kaamera" described the Old Town as "turning into a ghetto." They meant that the Old Town has turned into a place where people's actions go unpunished. The police also noted that the Old Town has Estonia's highest crime rate per capita. There have been stabbings there recently too. Has the Old Town really turned into somewhere people feel like they can act with impunity?
I disagree with the claim that the Old Town is a place where people feel like they can act with impunity. Nor do I agree that the Old Town is "turning into a ghetto." Both day and night, this area is a gathering place for all different kinds of people, and where there's a wide range of activities. It's not accurate to say that [people feel so unsafe] that they would, for example, avoid passing through the Old Town on their way somewhere else.
Various options exist to address this issue. One is to increase law enforcement involvement, including private security, the police as well as the municipal police.
For instance, three summers ago, thousands of young people would congregate in the Telliskivi neighborhood, and things got difficult. By now, positive developments have been achieved through collaborative efforts. Regular meetings are being held between Telliskivi business owners, law enforcement and city officials to take steps toward making the area safer. As a result, there are now minimal issues there.
The same principle could be applied to the Old Town by holding regular meetings with local business owners to emphasize the importance of adhering to regulations, remind them to monitor music volumes and encourage them to monitor what's happening out in front of their establishments, as well as adhere to the principles of responsibly serving alcohol.
Another possible solution is to develop the function of the Old Town, including considering zoning to determine what types of activities are appropriate in which areas, and at what hours.
Third, public spaces could be designed to offer young people other things to do there besides just hanging out and drinking. A good example is the school stadiums that opened this spring, which offer youth in the city opportunities for alternative leisure activities. There is actually a shortage of such spaces in the city, that don't require money.
What kind of activities would these be? There is more to do for young people in Telliskivi, but in the Old Town, it seems like what attracts youth there is hanging out on park benches. What could the Old Town offer young folks?
Parks can be designed very creatively. Benches are one option, but there are also so many other attractions and activities, like pingpong tables, smaller ball games as well as other games. Ice rinks and playgrounds also suitable for teens and adults would also add variety.
At the end of September, we organized an activity night aimed at young folks at Kanuti Garden, to introduce them to alternative leisure activities. People taught outdoor games, and there was a board game area, where participants were even gifted good board games for playing outside.
The [activity] night at Kanuti Garden highlighted yet another simple and effective solution for park design – putting up string lights between trees, which both makes you feel safer and actually improves safety. This addition makes for a cozier atmosphere, and also adds additional light, which allows for improved analysis of security camera footage later if needed.
It's important to distinguish between these issues. One involves nightlife-related businesses and related issues, and the other, young people using the urban space. These issues are not closely linked and require different solutions.
Tallinn city government is currently drawing up both Old Town and nightlife development plans that address noise as well as other topics we've discussed. It's vital to the city to establish a manageable system to guide the resolution of these issues.
You're currently at a [nightlife] conference in Australia. Tell us more about what you're doing there.
Sydney, Australia has hosted a nightlife conference for several years now. Both Sydney and [the state of] New South Wales have made nightlife a priority, and actively contributing human as well as financial resources to it. I was invited to speak here, which is wonderful and seems to indicate that the organizers consider Tallinn's night mayor experiences to be interesting on a global level as well. I'll be giving four presentations at this conference.
In my first presentation, I'll be sharing my experiences together with other nightlife advocates that were invited here. I'll also be giving a talk on Tallinn's experiences with nighttime public transport, as well as participating in a panel discussion on round-the-clock transport. Finally, there will be a discussion on urban strategy implementation, which ties in nicely with the topics we've been talking about – like the event at Kanuti Garden, and in general how to design urban spaces to offer engaging activities for people from diverse backgrounds.
How much did this trip to Australia end up costing the city?
All costs are covered by the organizers. The only possible cost for the City of Tallinn might be around €20 for internet usage, but I'll let them take that out of my paycheck.
Have you attended similar events abroad before?
Of course I have. I've gone somewhere around once a quarter.
Are these expenses typically covered by the inviting party or the city?
Expenses have typically been picked up by the conference organizers. Tallinn is also a member of the international nightlife network Cities After Dark, which has its own budget, so those participation-related costs are covered out of external project funding directed at the city.
Over the past two and a half ears, I've attended one conference as a listener. That was last year in Berlin, and it's Europe's leading nightlife conference. That time, I focused on networking and acquiring important knowledge. Those costs were picked up by the city.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla