Police: Action needed to improve safety of Tartu's Emajõgi River promenade
Since April, the emergency services have received nine calls related to people falling into, or almost falling into, the Emajõgi River behind the Tasku shopping mall. Police say measures need to be taken to increase safety in the area.
Tartu city government renovated the promenade between the Tasku Center and the market this spring. The city installed concrete benches and planter boxes along the embankment and removed the protective railing from the riverside.
The city's architect Jiří Tintěra said there have been problems with people gathering there to drink and displaying anti-social behaviour.
"Our assumption was that if we made the area more inviting to ordinary people, then fewer of the people we don't want there would gather, since such individuals usually choose places with less social oversight. This area is now much more attractive than it used to be," he said.
While residents have responded positively to the change, there have also been accidents.
Since April, the police have responded to nine incidents on the river promenade.
In the most recent case, a man who fell into the water required resuscitation. Police officer Kaisa Leisson told Tartu Postimees it was only the quick reactions of the people on the riverbank that helped the man survive.
After that, the police issued a directive to the city, which resulted in the benches being moved half a meter further from the river.
Head of the Tartu police station Andrus Reimaa said the embankment is still not safe for residents, despite the benches being moved.
"Our recommendation would be to install somewhat stronger barriers there to prevent people from ending up in the river under any circumstances. Depending on the season and water levels, the current of the Emajõgi in Tartu can be strong enough that I believe even the rescue services are concerned," he said.
Tintěra said installing barriers would be the city's last resort.
"If we were to install a barrier there, then inevitably the place would lose its current appeal, because a person would not be able to sit on a bench and look at the water through a fence. That is not a situation we typically enjoy. It would mean losing what we managed to achieve in the spring and bringing back the problems we had there last year," Tintěra explained the city's position.
Tartu Deputy Mayor Elo Kiivet has promised to work on a solution to improve safety in the area.
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Editor: Helen Wright, Evgeniia Zybina, Michael Cole, Mirjam Mäekivi
