Pushcha-Voditsa is a historical area in Kyiv, which until November 2001 was an urban village, and after that date it became part of the city and became part of the Obolon district. The name is a combination of the word “pushcha”, that is, dense forest, and the name of the Voditsa River (the now defunct right tributary of the Pochaina River). In the 11th century, this area was a place of princely hunting, and in 1724 forestry was created in Pushcha-Voditsa. In connection with the construction boom in Kyiv at the end of the 19th century, which negatively affected the degree of greening of the city, there was a tendency for many families to travel outside the city during the holiday season, in particular to the Pushcha-Voditsa region. For this reason, the city council founded the holiday village of Pushcha-Voditsa in the 1890s.
The presence of a pine forest (Pushcha-Voditsky forest with an area of over 30,000 hectares) and the rivers Gorenka and Koturka surrounding the village created good conditions for recovery. In 1904, even an anti-tuberculosis sanatorium was created here and a tram line was electrified (the tracks were laid in 1900), which still operates to this day. Now in Pushcha-Voditsa there are about 40 health and recreational institutions, and within the boundaries of the settlement there is a park of the same name with an area of 12 hectares. Many writers, artists and historical figures were attracted by the beauty of Pushcha-Voditsa, including: Peter the Great, Catherine the Second, Taras Shevchenko, Nikolai Gogol, Leo Tolstoy and Lesya Ukrainka.
In Soviet times, the park had children’s and sports grounds and a stage. Currently there is only a small sports ground. The park is located on the banks of equipped ponds formed in the bed of the Koturki River. The main tree species growing here are oak and pine. The park is part of a large forest area (Pushcha-Voditsky forest park, area 360 hectares; the main species of the forest park are pine, spruce and oak; maple, birch, thuja, catalpa and linden also grow here).
Where is Pushcha-Voditsa Park?
Fedora Maksimenka street, 28