DUN'S 100 - 2016

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Local Authorities
577
2016 | DUN’S 100 DUN’S 100 | 2015
DUN’S 100 | 2016 2016 | DUN’S 100
12 Local Authorities (50,000 - 200,000 Residents)
RANK
Kiryat Ata Municipality
Kiryat Ata was founded in 1925 and was
declared a city in 1969. Archeological
excavations have found remains of a
Jewish village from the Canaanite period, testify-
ing of over 3,000 years of settlement. 21st cen-
tury Kiryat Ata is the gateway to Israel’s northern
metropolitan area (Haifa) and the city’s location
makes it attractive for leading Israeli investors
and entrepreneurs, which have in recent years
discovered Kiryat Ata’s huge potential. The city
covers 5,000 acres and is equal in size to the
rest of the Krayiot cities along the Haifa Bay.The
city has a population of over 60,000 and over
the next 15 years is set to reach 120,000 with
many real estate projects under construction
and in advanced planning.
The Education & Urban Infrastructures
Investment Agenda
Since Yaakov Peretz became mayor in 1996,
there are 2 main aims on the agenda; upgrad-
ing the education system and implementing a
revolution in urban infrastructures. Kiryat Ata’s
education system is considered today in the
top of the region and of Israel, thanks to tens of
millions of shekels invested annually, including
in building new schools, equipment, comput-
ers, laboratories, gymnasiums, enrichment pro-
grams and support frameworks, in an effort to
ahieve engineering and architecture that allows
studying in an optimal environment. Kiryat Ata
has 71 kindergartens, 20 schools, including 3
high schools and 4 junior high schools and 13
elementary schools, for 15,000 students. The
student matriculation score rised from 39% in
2000 to 80% in recent years. Our schools fre-
quently win regional and national awards thanks
to investing in operating a unique study curricula
and enrichment programs, reducing class sizes,
setting up frameworks for supporting education
and building new educational institutions.
Real Estate, Industry and Commerce
In urban infrastructures tens of millions of shek-
els have been invested annually on roads, side-
walks, replacing underground infrastructures,
and building new ones. Alongside building new
neighborhoods, the local authority strives to
rehabilitate old neighborhoods in order to raise
the living standards of the city’s general popula-
tion. The substantial change in living standards
and attractive real estate prices have persuaded
many to choose Kiryat Ata as their future home,
and the city has seen positive migration as proj-
ects have been inhabited throughout the city.
There are currently thousands of homes in vari-
ous stages of advanced planning and building
on the eastern hills and the city’s center, this will
create continuous housing between the city’s
neighborhoods. Yaakov Peretz has worked with
the planning committees to promote national
projects and integrate them into the city. These
activities include regional outline plan TMM 6,
which makes Kiryat Ata the center of a second-
ary metropolitan area. Government ministries,
employment centers and medical centers will be
built for the residents of Haifa Bay and the north,
as well as highways, and transport currently be-
ing built including the Haifa Bay by-pass, High-
way 6, Highway 781, Highway 79, Highway 772,
the metro-bus project, light railway and railway,
which will make Kiryat Ata accessible from the
Galilee, center and south by car mostly by public
transport through fast highways. The municipal
plans to transform industrial zones, which in
the past had heavily polluting industry to clean
industry and commerce will create new sources
of employment for residents of the city and the
region and attract investors. International and
domestic entrepreneurs are showing great inter-
est in a range of projects planned for the coming
years and make Kiryat Ata one of Israel’s most
developed cities. The IKEA branch opening, as
well as a huge mall, are just examples of how
attractive Kiryat Ata is for Israel’s leading in-
vestors and the massive development in recent
years mainly through developing access routes
and availability to the region. The urban outline
plan also includes developing the Galam area
which due to its strategic location and devel-
oping transport connections will house public
institutions such as a regional hospital, univer-
sity, sports center, employment and commerce
offices including hi-tech, R&D etc. The area will
serve all residents of the region and the Galilee
and will provide employment.
Balanced Budget, Raised Living Standards
Kiryat Ata Municipality’s regular budget for 2016
is NIS 377 million, when 53% is for education
purposes, and an approved development bud-
get of about NIS 278 million for urban infra-
structures with 62% used for building public
and educational institutions. The Municipality
has over the years balanced the budget and won
prizes from the Interior Ministry for its finan-
cial management. Activities to raise the city’s
residents living standard are seen on several
levels as well as green vistas and tending pub-
lic parks and a sports park covering 17.5 acres
including promenade, walking tracks, bicycle
path, and fitness facilities. Competitive sports
teams play in top leagues and attract and draw
thousands of children and youth in age-related
frameworks. The city’s volleyball team has been
national champions for 11 straight years and the
cutting-edge sports arena allows hosting inter-
national matches and is a focus for the city’s
children. Plans for the coming years: building an
auditorium; renovating the city’s cultural center;
the construction of an accessible city hall; build-
ing new neighborhoods; building educational
institutions; building new commercial and em-
ployment centers; building a regional hospital
and a university.
Esta b l i s h e d
1925
L i n e o f B u s i n ess
Local Authority
7 Municipal Square,
P.O.B. 1 Kiryat Ata 2810001
Tel: 972-4-8478478
Fax:972-4-8449383
Yaakov Peretz
Mayor *
* See Top Executives Profiles - Page 582