State Enterprise "Chernihiv Olympic Training and Sports Center"

State Enterprise "Chernihiv Olympic Training and Sports Center"

Prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, the Desna Stadium, part of the State Enterprise Chernihiv Olympic Training and Sports Center, was one of the city's most prominent buildings.

The history of the stadium dates back to 1936, when a stadium for 3 thousand spectators was built in response to the growing popularity of sports in the USSR. During World War II, the stadium was heavily damaged by bombing. In the 50s of the 20th century, the stadium was built according to a new design, and the territory was surrounded by a wall. It was then that it received two stands with 7,000 seats - one for the west and one for the east.

Over the years, the stadium has undergone several more renovations, most recently in 2016-2017. The purpose of the reconstruction is to make the sports facility fully compliant with the status of the Olympic training base for the Ukrainian national teams, as well as to ensure certification in accordance with the requirements of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for domestic and international competitions.

In addition, the stadium is the home arena of FC Desna, which has also repeatedly contributed to its renovation. 

On March 11, 2022, the stadium was heavily damaged by Russian air strikes. Three high-explosive 500-kilogram bombs were dropped on the stadium and the courtyard of the city library nearby. The arena field was damaged and one of the stands was destroyed. 

Reconstruction

ONOVA, the Ukrainian Renewal League, together with the Chernihiv City Council and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, began rebuilding and renovating the complex. 

A prominent Ukrainian football player, one of the leaders of the national team, Andriy Yarmolenko, joined the stadium's reconstruction and became an Ambassador of Renewal. He is a graduate of FC Desna and took his first steps on this field.

A conceptual project for the renovation of the sports complex with a complete reconstruction of the stadium in accordance with the requirements of UEFA and the Ukrainian Professional Football League has been developed. The project also provides for the effective coexistence of the sports space of the complex with the adjacent park area. 

https://onova.org.ua/en/projects/State-Enterprise-Olympic-Training-and-Sports-Center-Chernihiv