The St. Petersburg Observers Association, which emerged as a public organization to control the presidential elections, initiated another project called "Beautiful St. Petersburg". This project does not have a formal organizational structure - any person can participate, who himself will determine the task that, in his opinion, requires attention.
The project participants primarily focus on various problems of improving the city at the lowest level - in residential courtyards, parks, on the streets, etc. This could be, for example, a pile of rubbish that needs to be removed, unauthorized parking areas on sidewalks, or a crippled playground. The problem is solved in the simplest way - the project participants write an appeal to the territorial department of the city power structure, which can solve it. They also control the result of the work. According to the curator of the project from the "Observers of St. Petersburg", a total of 135 such appeals were made, to which, in accordance with the law, officials are required to respond within 30 days. 40% of the problems raised by the participants of "Beautiful Petersburg" have already been resolved, and another 20% must be eliminated by the end of 2012.
The direct goal of this project is the improvement of St. Petersburg and the improvement of the life of the townspeople, but this is not the only task. Involving ordinary citizens in solving city problems not at an abstract level, but where they can see the effectiveness of their actions, should contribute to the formation of a civil society. And public control over the work of officials and workers of housing and communal services in solving specific problems can increase the efficiency of their work.
Until now, the activities of "Beautiful Petersburg" took place in five districts of the northern capital, but the organizers hope to attract residents throughout the city to participate. In the summer, the first action with the name "Walking with a cameraman" was held - those who wished set off "for free swimming" along the streets of the city, photographing on the way all the "lead abominations" that required the intervention of city services. The photographs were sent to a website on the Internet and became the basis for a new appeal to a particular city structure.
