A new exploratory environment object at Lucavsala

On Tuesday, June 13, the BlueOrange Charity foundation presented its gift to the city of Riga, its residents and guests – a new exploratory leisure area on Lucavsala.

BlueOrange Bank CEO Dmitrijs Latiševs together with the Executive Director of Riga City Juris Radzēvičs inaugurated the new recreation area by cutting the festive ribbons and releasing balloons to the sky. Juris Radzēvičs expressed his joy over the rapid development of Lucavsala, which now offers another friendly location in the urban environment. While Dmitrijs Latiševs extended his good wishes for this site to become a favourite place for outdoor activities for families with children, Nordic walkers, cyclists and all those who appreciate the opportunity to enjoy nature within 15 minutes drive from the city centre.

“A year ago there was a bare field on the right bank of the Daugava river. Now this site has been landscaped and offers its visitors a new aesthetically attractive and entertaining place for outdoor activities, which was made possible with the support of the BlueOrange Charity foundation. Trees planted in autumn have successfully survived the winter and now form a picturesque landscape, while allowing visitors to get acquainted with 16 different tree varieties. Yezo spruce, silver maple, red horse chestnut, Japanese flowering crabapple, champion oak, rowan and all other trees were grown in the “Ķikši” nursery garden. They are now two to five meters long. For the convenience of visitors, the site also features an information stand, showing the location of the trees and their Latin names, and three benches of original design, each 4 meters long. These benches were designed by a young artist and a woodworker from Irlava – Artūrs Immermanis,” Ingrīda Šmite, Member of the Board of the BlueOrange Charity Foundation notes with satisfaction.

“The design proposed by Artūrs Immermanis best met the tasks set by the Foundation: the solution is both creative and functional. Benches are made using modern, eco-friendly and robust wood processing technologies, ensuring long service of the benches”, Ingrīda Šmite says.

“Since Lucavsala is surrounded by water, the bench is in the shape of a wave. Each bench is made after an ancient Japanese method and consists of about 90 wooden blocks, the edges are painted black. First, the wood is burned, then the burnt surface is removed, and the base is covered with special oil. Depending on the angle at which you look at the bench, you can see the play of lines and colours – sometimes there is more of orange, and at times – blue or dark black,” the designer Artūrs Immermanis comments.

The recreation area introduced by BlueOrange on Lucavsala has also a symbolic meaning. 15 different trees that were planted last year symbolise 15 years of the Bank’s activity in Latvia. Last June, to celebrate another birthday of the Bank, the sixteenth tree – a beautiful Magnolia was added to the landscape. Also, the benches are designed using the Bank’s corporate colours – blue and orange that are characteristic of the Bank’s new brand – BlueOrange.

The new leisure area is located on the right bank of Lucavsala, in front of the boat station and the Northern War monument.