On the eve of Independence Day in the Literary Square near the Central City Library named after M.L. Kropyvnytskyi, a memorial sign in honor of Mykolaiv history researcher, publicist, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Honored Worker of Culture of Ukraine, Honorary Citizen of the city Yurii Kriuchkov, was opened.
The Literary Square near the library, by the way, the only one of its kind in Ukraine laid on the initiative of the library itself by well-known residents of Mykolaiv - poets, writers, journalists, local historians. Nine "personalized" trees are planted in it. At one time, Yurii Semenovych Kriuchkov planted a magnolia here with his own hands. A memorial sign was located right next to it. Its author is the Honored Art Worker of Ukraine Ivan Bulavytskyi.
The creative intelligentsia of the city gathered for the opening of the memorial sign. People who were connected with Yurii Kriuchkov through joint work, friendship, book publishing projects, public, research and local history activities. Librarians, writers, journalists. Everyone who cares about our city. The ceremony was opened by the director of the Central Library named after M. L. Kropyvnytskyi Inha Khorzhevska. The welcome speech was delivered by Svitlana Hladun, head of the Cultural Heritage Protection Department of the Department of Culture and Cultural Heritage Protection.
Among the guests were friends and colleagues, students of Yurii Kriuchkov, who remembered the mentor with warm words.
"I remember him (Yurii Kriuchkov). A lot has already been said here that on the one hand he was a very serious, great scientist in his field. But he was such a real intelligent. He always asked questions gently and never offended people. All his apt remarks were accepted almost one hundred percent. And it was already said that he was a gentle person. But a demanding one at the same time," recalled Serhii Serbin, director of the Machine-Building Educational and Scientific Institute of the National Academy of Sciences.
"In 1977, I was a student of the 3rd year of the Faculty of History of the Mykolaiv State Pedagogical Institute, like my friends and fellow students, started studying the special course "Historical Local Lore". And it was Yurii Semenovych who was invited to a series of lectures. He made an extraordinary impression as an orator. A connoisseur of history. His depth is purity, correspondingly structured thought. Logic, consistency in the presentation of the material. It was interesting and informative for us, students, future teachers of history", - shared the writer and teacher Leonid Rzhepetskyi.
The right to open the memorial sign was granted to Yurii Semenovych's wife Liudmila Kriuchkova and his good friend, honored energy worker of Ukraine Volodymyr Podgurenko.
The memorial sign to Yurii Kriuchkov is already the third one in the Literary Square near the Central City Library named after M.L. Kropyvnytskyi, Mykolaiv. The previous two were opened in 2022 and 2023. Two more are planned to be installed this year.