Вам доводилося чути, як Львів називають "туристичною Меккою"? Та що там! Я сам таке не раз писав. Та якось нарвався на саркастичний коментар. Мовляв, що тут дивитися? За півдня можна все обійти. З образи за рідне місто вирішив дати рішучий відлуп. Але спершу, щоб набратися аргументів, провів у середовищі гостей міста невеличке опитування. Звати мене Любомир Назарчук. Поїхали!
No, Lviv was praised by everyone. Their words "vydatny", "wspaniały", "voskhytytelnyi" gently touched the patriotic strings of my soul. They said the architecture is unique, the people are friendly, and the city is truly European. Grasping the last word, with pure journalistic tedium, I began to extract specific signs of Europeanness. But I would have been better off not doing that. Because here it all began!
The interlocutors immediately became noticeably more lively and began to praise the cafes and restaurants they had visited. But no one even recalled that there is a wonderful museum of furniture and porcelain in Lviv, instead, they cheerfully talked about the coffee mine located in the same building.
They did not see the walls of the ruined ancient synagogue, as they entered the Galician-Jewish pub "Pid Zolotoyu Rozoyu" from the other side. In response, the mention of heroes of the national liberation struggles made the guests' eyes literally light up – "Kryivka"!
And everyone promised to persuade their friends to visit Lviv, because such experiences cannot be conveyed in words. People praised, while I felt a pang of resentment. Because an unappealing, and at times completely unattractive picture of drinking tourism was emerging. Moreover, it was aimed at the primitive, uneducated tourist. Or maybe everything is fine? Why do people travel? To relax and gather impressions. If they had fun in cafes and restaurants, then they had a good rest. And look at how many impressions they gathered!
I immediately recalled Monte Carlo. I have never heard of its architecture, but I know it is the capital of gambling. And still, it hurts for Lviv. I don’t want it to gain a reputation as a city where you can drink well! We proudly call it the little Vienna, but it turns out to be a big "Bukhara" in cheap decorations!
No, something needs to be done about this! And they are doing it. Just with the exact opposite precision. New "points" keep appearing on the city map, and their number is rapidly outpacing the growth of mass tourism. But that’s not all. Because if the bad plans come true, we will have something even more unique in Lviv than the Colosseum in Rome or the Eiffel Tower in Paris. A gigantic beer hyper-pub almost in the city center!
Who among Lviv residents does not know the old tram park located between Sakharoho and Heroiv Maidanu streets? It has already served its purpose as an urban utility object. However, it remains a monument of industrial architecture. After all, it was built back in the time of grandmother Austria. There were several plans to return it to active life and restore it. But if the public does not intervene, and the city does not wake up, then the former tram park is destined for a disgraceful future. They want to turn it into an unprecedented beer restaurant in a vast square. Wow, there will be a party in the old hangars. For a thousand visitors or more?
Until recently, it seemed that something smart, good, and eternal would settle here. Yes, the monument of industrial architecture began to gradually deteriorate. Because those who had enough capital for reconstruction and repair had no interest in it. And those who had an interest were left without money. In such cases, only a fundamentally new approach can save. So there was nothing left but to borrow foreign experience. Because what is new for us has long been successfully implemented elsewhere. So we take it and transfer it. And we become an even more European city.
Thus, among the concerned people, the word of foreign origin – co-working – began to resonate in all cases in the Ukrainian language. The English term "co-working" literally translates as "joint work". It means a special model of organizing the labor activity of people from different fields in a collective office for everyone. Those who have a workspace there maintain full independence while being able to help each other, share ideas, consult, and do many useful things that they lack at home.
For such purposes, a large space is needed. Therefore, co-working spaces are often set up in former production workshops that have lost their old use for some reason. The century-old, still Austrian tram park fits perfectly here. Specialists appeared who knew how it should look because they had been engaged in such matters abroad. They were able to explain even completely unfamiliar things to the interlocutors in an accessible way.
Thus, it was quite quickly possible to formulate the concept of creating a kind of creative space in the old hangars, where "free artists" of small and medium business would feel at home while being in a club of interests.
Can you imagine how much it costs to rent even a shabby office in Lviv? But here, for a small fee, they provide a workspace with modern communication tools and internet. You can register your company at this address and receive correspondence. Located under one roof, a consulting bureau will advise how to act and warn against mistakes. Legal consultation is available within minutes of need. Nearby are a bank and a post office. For those who are hungry, there is an inexpensive cafe. And if you impose a strict regime of saving, go to the kitchen to heat up sandwiches brought from home and make yourself coffee.
Clients come here, and you can have a private conversation with them. For discussions in a wider circle, there are several conference rooms. And the most important thing is the atmosphere of ancient entrepreneurship. Because this is where the Lviv tram movement was born. At that time, the most advanced mode of public transport. Here, like in a hallowed temple, a special inspiration descends upon you.
We speak in the present tense as if it all already exists. Like the concert in memory of Mozart, which recently took place in the sooty walls of the still unrenovated tram park. And I would like to talk about this in the future. But it is shrouded in fog. Because the Lviv city council seems to have supported the idea of a creative space. But only seemingly. As informed people say, the reverse gear has already been engaged.
…When something is done, it is needed by someone. But when it is not done, like with our creative space? It means that it is needed by someone very, very much. After all, there, in a parallel world, someone has conceived to almost double the capacities of drinking Lviv. Tourists have never seen anything like it!
A large beer restaurant can only be launched by very wealthy people. And if the authorities support them, then how can small businesses like "office at home" compete with such power? However, we will try. After all, we are creatives. We will take them with our intellect. It is no coincidence that a blessed time for petitions and requests has come. So we are not hinting at anything. We are just curious. So…
Чи не могли б громадяни-партійці з "самопомочі" виправдовувати свою назву не лише тим, що самі собі допомагають, а й посприяти креативній львівській молоді у її прагненні мати свій простір?
Запит до міського голови Львова. Чи знайомі Ви з паном Тарасом Кіцмеєм з компанії "Софтсерв"? А з панами Тарасом Добрянським та Марком Зархіним? А якщо так, то у яких перебуваєте з ними стосунках? А якщо у близьких, то чи не були б Ви так ласкаві порадити цим далеко не бідним львів’янам більш широке поле для комерційних ініціатив та інвестування? Скажімо, розповісти їм про новий полігон твердих побутових відходів. За кордоном це дуже прибутковий бізнес. І собі зароблять, і місту допоможуть, і село від клопотів звільнять. І навіть Вас прикриють від дошкульних журналістських насмішок про сміття. Якщо треба, звертайтеся. По столику для кожного з вас ми у майбутньому коворкінгу зарезервуємо…
Ваш, Любомир Захарчук
References used: http://galinfo.com.ua/articles/shchob...
