## Culture Instead of Meat According to a document approved by the heads of the committees — Dainis Locis (National Alliance) and Edgars Bergholcs (United List) — the municipal company Rīgas nami is to attract investments amounting to 21 million euros, part of which is expected to come from the European Union. The primary task is defined as "ensuring the structural safety" of the Meat Pavilion (referred to as "former" in the document). The cost of the work will be 1,385,450 euros. They intend to complete it by July 2027. Subsequently, the building is planned to be leased to a "long-term tenant" for 30 years, "creating a publicly accessible, multifunctional, and economically viable facility that preserves the cultural and historical heritage and identity of the Central Market..." It is expected that these premises will "develop complementary commercial, public, cultural, educational, innovative, and sports functions, as well as areas related to active recreation and creativity." ## And Six Tunnels to Boot By the way, the Meat Pavilion is the largest pavilion: its area is 9,746.6 square meters (one and a half football fields or six hockey rinks). It is one and a half times larger than the Fish Pavilion and twice the area of each of the other three. Additionally, the market registry includes separate buildings, warehouses, parking lots, and six tunnels... The agreement between the city and Rīgas nami is planned to be concluded until 2067! Meanwhile, this year, investments in the largest covered market in the European Union will amount to only 661,878 euros. This sum includes the renovation of the Vegetable Pavilion (471,878 euros), floor demolition (100,000 euros), and the design of engineering networks in the Vegetable, Dairy, Fish, and Gastronomic pavilions (90,000 euros). During the vote on the project decision, opposition deputies opposed it. The reason was doubts about Rīgas nami's ability to carry out such a large-scale project. Last year, the turnover of the municipal company was 28.24 million euros, and the profit was 94,000 euros.
