Residents describe missing basic services in Ogre region towns

Residents of smaller settlements in the Ogre municipality say they often lack even the most basic everyday services.

Ciemupe has no grocery store

Several Ciemupe residents say the settlement has had no grocery store for a few years, even though a bakery used to operate there as well. People now travel to Ogre for groceries, where many also work or see their family doctor. The settlement also no longer has a pharmacy. Residents note that seniors without their own transport face particular difficulty, sometimes having to ask neighbors for help. While both trains and buses stop in Ciemupe, a ticket for such a short distance is expensive, and cycling is not a viable option for everyone. A mobile grocery van does serve the settlement, but residents say they prefer to choose and compare products themselves. Several people point out that Ciemupe has been growing in recent years, with new production facilities, service businesses and a large residential area near the Daugava river, making a grocery store increasingly necessary. The situation is compounded by the fact that food delivery from Ogre eateries is often limited to within the city limits.

Ķegums lacks eateries

Unlike Ciemupe, Ķegums has basic services available locally, including a post office, family doctors, shops, parcel lockers, a hairdresser and cash machines. However, residents say the town lacks stable eating establishments, as such places tend to open and then close again after a while. Hopes are pinned on a new restaurant planned near the Daugava and a food service area planned at a local fuel station, which would also be useful for schoolchildren waiting for after-school activities. Currently the town has one pizzeria, but it operates limited hours, mainly on weekends.