The newly opened promenade on Mukusalas in Riga, costing tens of millions of euros, has already sparked a scandal. Residents are posting videos showing the concrete at the railings crumbling and are questioning how a 20 million facility began to deteriorate just months after its opening. The new promenade on Mukusalas Street in Riga, which took two years to build and cost 20.8 million euros, has found itself at the center of a scandal just a couple of months after its opening.
The promenade, stretching approximately 2.3 kilometers, was officially opened on December 22, 2025. However, by March, videos began to appear on social media, raising serious doubts about the quality of the work done. A video posted on Facebook shows the base of the railings on the promenade. According to the author, the structure may be unsafe. "Be careful when walking on the new Mukusalas promenade. Don’t lean on the railings — you might end up in the river with them. The base is made of... crap and sticks," the author wrote.
The video sparked a strong reaction among city residents. Many users are convinced that the problem is related to the quality of the construction work. "The main thing is that they made money, and the quality comes later. It’s clear that the company Binders or its subsidiaries built it. The customer is satisfied and has received their share. How long this will last is another question," one commenter wrote. Others compare the new infrastructure to Soviet structures. "The old fortifications of the promenade have been standing since the USSR and served for years. And the new ones haven’t even been properly opened — and they’re already starting to crumble. Who will be responsible for this?" a user asks. Some react with bitter irony. "In childhood, we built sandcastles like that. The sand dried — and the castle collapsed. How can you hate your country so much?" one resident wrote. Others joke about possible excuses. "Well, it was winter — so much snow. A little concrete got damaged," a user quips.
Amid the sharp criticism, Riga Mayor Viesturs Kleinbergs limited himself to a brief statement on social media. According to him, complaints about the quality of some work were sent to the contractor last year. "The entrepreneur was sent a complaint last year regarding the quality of certain works. The municipality instructed to rectify the identified deficiencies with the start of the construction season," the mayor reported.
However, this explanation did not calm the city residents. In the comments, many question how such a facility could have been accepted for operation at all. Some believe that it is impossible to fix the situation with partial repairs. "How can you fix crumbling concrete without pouring it anew?" one user writes. Others are convinced that a complete redesign of the structure will be required. "This means complete dismantling and new concrete structures. The deadline for the project cannot be extended — there should be a fine for that," the commentators believe. There are also harsher assessments: "This cannot be fixed with patches. An examination is needed to understand how much cement has been added and how safe this structure is." Some residents also wonder who exactly in the Riga City Council was responsible for this project and why the work was accepted despite possible defects.
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