Nova Borova Territorial Community

Zhytomyr
Population:

The Nova Borova Settlement Territorial Community was established on 14 August 2015.

The surface area of the settlement totals 588.2 hectares. Highways pass near Nova Borova: the M-21 highway and part of the South-Western Railway.

The community consists of eighteen settlements. Its administrative centre is the urban-type settlement of Nova Borova.

The total surface area of the territory is 209.8 km2.
The population of the community totals 8,427 residents.
The rural population amounts to 2,720 residents.

Since the beginning of the war, more than 380 internally displaced persons have been registered in the community.

History

The settlement was formed in the early 20th century by way of amalgamating the villages of Borova Rudnia, Fontanka, and the station settlement of Turchynka.

It was the construction of the railway and the Turchynka station in the early 20th century that gave impetus to the creation of a new settlement near the village of Fontanka – Nova Borova.

Excursion pearls of the community are natural, historical, and architectural landmarks. The Ascension Church with a bell tower was built in 1787 in the village of Kamianyi Brid. The Orthodox shrine is one of the greatest historical buildings of the Zhytomyr Region – a national landmark of wooden temple architecture.

Another attraction is the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, built in 1919, in the centre of the village of Fasova.

And a Century Oak grows in the village of Hatskivka – a botanical landmark of nature being part of the local nature reserve.

Century Oak in the village of Hatskivka
Century Oak in the village of Hatskivka

In order to introduce guests to the history and beauty of the community, the Weekend in the Centre of the Zhytomyr Region tourist route was developed. The project has received positive feedback and is producing positive results.

This route was presented for the first time on 11 September 2020 in Zhytomyr at a tourist exhibition as part of the ZT-EXPO 2020 Ukrainian National Cultural and Artistic Festival.

ZT-EXPO 2020 Ukrainian National Cultural and Artistic Festival
ZT-EXPO 2020 Ukrainian National Cultural and Artistic Festival

Economy and Wellbeing

The wealth and variety of minerals contribute to the development of the mining, quarrying, rock processing and construction industries.

Minerals typical of the central part of the Ukrainian Shield lie there. The Irsha titanium ore region is represented by a complex of titanium-containing minerals, the main of which is ilmenite – a raw material used for the production of titanium dioxide.

There is a sufficient amount of building and facing stones (granite, labradorite, gabbro), as well as sand, clay, and peat.

Industrial production is represented by the mining and quarrying industry. Ilmenite mining and beneficiation has been carried out at the Valky-Hatskivka ilmenite deposit since 2001.

Ilmenite mining
Ilmenite mining

The community also has a developed sector of light industry represented by enterprises manufacturing sewing products and tailoring workers’ clothes.

Near the village of Nova Borova, the Irsha Reservoir was built on the Irsha River – the largest one in terms of its water volume and the second largest one in terms of its surface area in the Zhytomyr Region.

The Irsha Reservoir is a unique place for active recreation of the community residents and guests. In the warm period of the year, tourists can swim or fish in the quiet Irsha waters.

A pine forest near the reservoir is a good opportunity to walk along the paths, breathe fresh air, and look for mushrooms, berries or medicinal herbs. In the cold season, the recreation area will attract fans of winter fishing and skiing. Every year in mid-July the Velyky Kazan motorcycle festival takes place on the right bank of the Irsha Reservoir near the village of Staryi Bobryk. Bikers from all over Ukraine come to take part in it.

The program of the holiday includes demonstration performances, a concert by musical bands and rock artists. Riverfest gathers active vacationers every summer on the Irsha near Nova Borova. The festival program includes: kayaking and dragon boating, beach volleyball, performances by musicians.

The geographic centre of the Zhytomyr Region, located in the village of Kamianyi Brid, is a unique symbol of the Polissia area and an important tourist destination. The Nova Borova Local History Museum becomes a centre of life, crafts and arts of Ukrainian Polissia. The goals of the museum include the presentation of folk traditions and customs and their support, scientific and regional studies, master classes for children and adults.

Irsha Reservoir
Irsha Reservoir

Students receive their general education at the Nova Borova Lyceum with the Nebizh branch, the Nova Borova Vasyl Lunka Lyceum, Kropyvnia Lyceum.

Nova Borova Vasyl Lunka Lyceum of the Nova Borova Settlement Council.
Nova Borova Vasyl Lunka Lyceum of the Nova Borova Settlement Council.
Canteen at the Nova Borova Vasyl Lunka Lyceum of the Nova Borova Settlement Council
Canteen at the Nova Borova Vasyl Lunka Lyceum of the Nova Borova Settlement Council

Children who live in remote settlements are transported by buses. As of 01 January 2023, general educational institutions of the community were attended by 975 students; 104 teachers work there. There are 280 children in preschool educational institutions; 38 teachers work there.

Kazka Child Development Center of the Nova Borova Settlement Council
Kazka Child Development Center of the Nova Borova Settlement Council

Considerable attention is paid to work with children with special needs. 

Nova Borova Inclusive Resource Centre, activities with children
Nova Borova Inclusive Resource Centre, activities with children

The Nova Borova Centre for Children’s and Youth Creativity and the Nova Borova Music School provide appropriate conditions for the organization of children’s leisure time. Since April 2018, the municipal Nova Borova Inclusive Resource Centre has been functioning in the community.

An important milestone in the life of the community was the implementation of projects for the reconstruction of educational institutions in Nova Borova, the boiler house in Kropyvnia. The use of modern energy-saving technologies ensures a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, curbs the heat costs and lowers the cost of heat energy generation. The most important thing is to create a stable thermal regime and comfortable conditions for the learning process.

The health care system of the Nova Borova community is represented by the primary medical and sanitary aid centre, the outpatient clinic of general practice and family medicine of the village of Nova Borova.

Primary medical and sanitary aid centre of the Nova Borova Settlement Council
Primary medical and sanitary aid centre of the Nova Borova Settlement Council

The base of the ambulance brigade is located in Nova Borova. Staff structure: chief physician, four general practitioners, two paramedics, nine nurses, auxiliary workers. There are pharmacies that provide the community residents with necessary medicines.

Two institutions of social security of the population operate in the territory of the community: the Nova Borova geriatric boarding house and the Nova Borova orphanage – a boarding school. 

The community has built courts with artificial grass for football, basketball, volleyball, badminton and tennis.

The construction of modern sports and children’s playgrounds contributes to the involvement of children and young people in physical education and sports, improvement of their training and the successful performance of teams at Ukrainian National Competitions, the Championships of the Zhytomyr Region.

Three children’s, two adult and one futsal teams train in Nova Borova. 

Orion football team
Orion football team
Multifunctional sports ground
Multifunctional sports ground

Community and War

The community has projects to improve the living conditions of its residents and the functioning of the infrastructure, but they have to be postponed until the Victory over russians is gained. A significant part of the community’s resources has been used to meet the needs of critical infrastructure (purchase of generators, fuel and lubricants), the Armed Forces of Ukraine and provide social and humanitarian services.

Aid provided by Estonia
Aid provided by Estonia

The residents of the community steadily hold the front of support for the soldiers, raising and delivering all kinds of financial and material aid.

People of the Community

Hryhorii Rudiuk, the Nova Borova settlement head, was elected for the first time in 1992. He headed the community from 1992 to 2002 and since 2006 he has been the incumbent head of the community.

The Nova Borova community is one of the founders of the Association of Amalgamated Territorial Communities, and Hryhorii Rudiuk is the deputy chairman and a member of the Association’s board.

Hryhorii Rudiuk and his team received four awards in the Best Practices of Local Self-Government contest initiated by the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine and the Council of Europe in 2014, 2015, 2020, 2021.

Head Hryhorii Rudiuk
Head Hryhorii Rudiuk
Best local self-governance representatives
Best local self-governance representatives

The Nova Borova community cooperates with international organizations, thanks to which projects have been implemented in the community. It is a valid member of the UNICEF Child and Youth Friendly Community Program, the European Union Program of Mayors for Economic Growth.

Nongovernmental organizations, active people, and volunteers play an important role in the development and promotion of the Nova Borova community. Members of the Union of Drillers of Ukraine protect the legitimate rights and interests of geological workers, hold scientific and practical conferences, seminars.

As a result of the common efforts of the authorities and MOLODDII nongovernmental organization, the Life Chest project was implemented, the Primary Medical and Sanitary Care Centre and the Emergency Medical Aid Station received the necessary medical equipment. The active residents of the community protect the environment.

They clear forest areas of garbage, clean natural water sources, and keep areas near cultural and historical heritage sites clean and orderly.

The Safety and Free Space HUB for children and young people has been opened with the support of the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Development Strategy

The community has developed its strategic plan for the development of the Nova Borova territorial community until 2025.

  • Improvement of the road and transport infrastructure

The sections of roads that are associated with the functioning of the key socio-economic facilities of the community and ensure connection with the central settlement of the community need to be repaired.

A grader has been purchased
A grader has been purchased
  • High-quality water supply and water discharge

In order to ensure the proper quality of water supply and discharge services, provide the population with drinking water, and maintain technical water reserves, a phased reconstruction of water supply and discharge systems is planned.

Containers for preparing drinking water
Containers for preparing drinking water
  • System of sanitary cleaning and landscaping of the territory. 

Purchase of another garbage truck and garbage containers, introduction of a system for separate collection of solid household waste, optimization / construction of the landfill.

Garbage truck
Garbage truck
  • Effective management and improvement of the quality of services provided to the population

Formation of the structure of executive bodies of the settlement council in accordance with the tasks of the strategy and legislative norms, provision of specialists, training of employees of the local self-government body, creation of the services centre are the necessary conditions for modern management of the community development, raising the level of managerial decisions and ensuring their effectiveness.

Administrative Services Centre
Administrative Services Centre
  • Improvement of the environment and the community security level 

The appropriate community security level can be ensured through the activation of public voluntary units, the creation of a municipal police unit, the mobilization and equipping of the fire brigade, the lighting of the territory of the settlements, and public awareness of the norms of behaviour.

List of Sources

  • Official website of the Nova Borova Settlement Council
  • Nova Borova Local History Museum 
If you want to contact an Ukrainian community or have additional questions regarding the project please contact us: [email protected]