30.06.2023
The 25,000 euro prize fund from the LHV repair loan support programme ‘Who does it?’ will be used to restore the park terrace of Kose-Uuemõisa manor, which has a long history.
Already for the fourth time, LHV challenged local communities across Estonia to participate in ‘Who does it?’ to breathe life into a neglected building or facility under the leadership of active community members. A total of six unique ideas were received for the competition, and this year LHV supports the restoration of the majestic Kose-Uuemõisa manor’s granite block terrace, so that the community can continue to use it as an open-air stage.
According to Heidy Kütt, the CEO at LHV Finance, they once again received a very interesting and diverse range of projects, which made the selection process difficult. ‘It is extremely gratifying to see active and resourceful communities in Estonia. When choosing this time, we were guided by the fact that the project will have a huge impact on the community – the park terrace will be used during manor days, concerts, community days, and other important events. At the same time, it was important for us that the project would unite the local community – the volunteer association who submitted the project stands for maintaining the main building of Kose-Uuemõisa manor located in the heart of a village and bringing together local bodies there,’ Kütt said.
The park-side terrace of the main building of Kose-Uuemõisa manor was presumably built in the 1850s during major re-development work, when the building got a historic look – one that can be seen even today. The building itself stands empty at the moment, but since the manor park is located in the heart of the bay of the beautiful River Pirita, the park-side manor terrace has actively been used for local events for decades.
According to Kaisa Karron, the leader of the NGO Kose-Uuemõisa Development Society, LHV’s repair loan support gives the opportunity to take the first step towards the restoration of the manor. ‘With the support of LHV, we will give the manor’s park terrace a fresh look, straighten the steps, joint the masonry, and freshen the tile covering – all this in cooperation with the Estonian Heritage Protection Board, to which the manor belongs,’ Karron said.
‘We hope that after the stage has been improved, the interest of the surrounding NGOs and bodies will increase to conduct open-air events in Kose-Uuemõisa’s beautiful manor park. It is a unique manor surrounded by ruins, a pond, and a magnificent park forest, and the site has great potential for organising events on a larger scale. Successful refreshing of the terrace will perhaps inspire other communities to rebuild open-air stages and other spaces important to the community in their home’s cultural-valuable locations,’ she added.
The ‘Who does it?’ competition attracted several remarkable projects that enrich the lives of local communities. We hope that with the leadership of active people and the support of encouraging partners, other projects will also be carried out.
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