Ten new parklets have been installed in the parking lot of Kyiv Central Station for passengers
Ten parklets—special structures designed to allow passengers and those seeing them off to comfortably spend time outdoors while waiting for a train or other form of transportation—have been installed in the parking lot in front of Kyiv Central Station.
This was reported by the NGO “Passengers of Kyiv.”
Previously, people at the station were forced to either wait inside the building or look for free tables near McDonald’s. The new parklets are equipped with special deep planters, in which activists hope to see trees and large shrubs in the near future. This will provide shade and comfort amid the scorching asphalt in the summer.
The news about the parklets sparked lively discussion online. Kyiv residents’ opinions were divided: ranging from genuine surprise to criticism.
Oleg Doka wrote: “I thought it was AI, or a joke, or some kind of project. No, they actually installed them.”
Oleg Perkov added: “Now we need to make sure that it’s actually passengers who use these spots to rest.”
At the same time, some users are skeptical due to the lack of protection from the sun and rain. “Do they envision people comfortably spending time on hard, flat benches under the scorching sun in the summer? Will teams to prevent heatstroke and sunstroke also be on standby nearby?” they ask in the comments.
Users also question the comfort of such benches in winter, when temperatures can drop to -20°C.
Urban planner Oleksandr Hrechko urges people not to jump to conclusions and to evaluate the initiative’s effectiveness over time: “You can criticize, or you can wait a week to see how it actually turns out and whether people will use them.”
Activists cite the example of the Desnianskyi District Municipal Enterprise, where similar parklets have already been successfully landscaped and create cozy relaxation areas, as a model for the capital’s new structures.
