Valka resident thanks community for new swings and slide replacing Soviet-era carousel
A Valka woman has reached out to a local newspaper to publicly thank those responsible for replacing an old Soviet-era carousel in a playground with new swings and a slide, funded using a family's personal savings.
In Valka, on Domes Boulevard, a playground that once featured a carousel dating back to Soviet times now offers children new swings and a slide. A local resident — a grandmother living at that very address — reached out to the newspaper "Ziemeļlatvija" to publicly express her gratitude for this change.
The woman noted that today, people tend to speak far more often about problems, shortcomings and unfinished business than about good deeds, and rarely take the time to say a genuine thank you. That is why she decided to contact the newspaper, wanting to publicly acknowledge that the old, worn-out Soviet-era carousel had been replaced with safer, more modern play equipment.
The new playground equipment — the swings and slide — was purchased using money from a household's personal savings. This shows that local residents themselves are willing to take the initiative to improve their surroundings' infrastructure rather than waiting for a municipality or another institution to act.
The story reflects a broader pattern: many towns and villages across Latvia still have Soviet-era playground equipment whose safety and condition are often questioned. Replacing such equipment with new, standard-compliant alternatives frequently happens thanks to residents' own initiative and financial contribution rather than centralized funding.
The newspaper "Ziemeļlatvija" is inviting readers to share their own positive examples and words of thanks, aiming to balance a news landscape usually dominated by complaints and criticism.
