The diversity of nature, peace and quiet of Lucavsala are much appreciated by the tenants of the garden allotments, who have taken care of the area for years. A few years ago, around two hectares of allotments were already liquidated. At the beginning of this year, the Riga City Council decided to give 10 hectares of Lucavsala land for free to the Latvian Football Federation, which plans to build a stadium there. The tenants of the allotments objected to this, protesting loudly in front of the City Council building.
"First of all, these are the lungs of Riga. We nourish Riga as a green area, and the land here on Lucavsala was given to those gardeners. Not building plots. A stadium... I'm not sure... Yes, we need a stadium, but in this place? I'm not sure about that. Why should a person be deprived of something that he loves, where he has invested his resources, his health, just to have it?" asked Aija Žvīgule, a representative of the association "Daugavkrasti Gardens".
But Lucavsala has recently become quite desirable for investors. For example, the first building of the first phase of the Lucavsala housing complex is under construction, with five of the nine floors now completed. It is planned to have around 600 apartments.
"The purchase of the land has been a long time coming. I think about 20 years ago. But the active work on this project in the visualization that we will see now and in the realization, then it is about the last two or three years for the whole complex," explained Egija Smila, Head of Merko Ehitus Group of Companies in Latvia.
Jānis Lange, Executive Director of Riga City, said that increasing the housing stock is important for the capital. One third of Lucavsala is planned for housing.
"I think we have to be able to live together, and this is what I think shows the diversity that modern housing can exist in green spaces. We can see that this housing stock is needed in the city," said Lange.
However, representatives of the Daugavkrasti Gardens association do not recall that there was any public consultation. The first building of the Lucavsala housing complex is scheduled for completion next spring, while it is currently unknown when the construction of the football stadium might start.
