Along with continuing the large-scale reconstruction of the adjacent Riga Motor Museum, construction of the Customer service centre of the Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD) on the right bank of the River Daugava has been officially started with the laying of the foundation stone.

The CSDD Customer service centre on the right bank of the River Daugava will be analogous to the current centre at Bauskas Street and it is planned to be made as the leading place of the Directorate Register as was specified by Chairman of the Board of the Directorate Andris Lukstins (Andris Lukstiņš). He admitted that due to several new functions the place in the premises on Bauskas and Miera Streets is becoming too small for the Directorate.

The necessity for the construction of a new customer service centre and reconstruction of the building of the Riga Motor Museum built in Soviet times was also emphasised by Minister of Transport Anrijs Matiss (Anrijs Matīss).

By taking part in laying the foundation stone, Chairman of the Board of "Skonto Būve" Guntis Ravis (Guntis Rāvis) pointed out that the project will be completed on time and in good quality and acknowledged that it is interesting to construct the centre due to the original finish of the facade.

The area of the building of the Riga Motor Museum to be reconstructed is 7700 m2, and the construction project – 3000 m2. It is planned that the construction works will be completed in summer next year and the Museum will open its doors for visitors in the second half of 2014.

In the season opening festival of the hockey club “Dinamo Riga” the team was awarded a puck - one and a half metres in diameter - worth 200 thousand lats. The puck is a present for the team “Dinamo Riga” from its main sponsor “Skonto Būve” which presented the puck as a symbolic donation cheque by expressing support and wishing success for the new season.Ballerinas of the Latvian National Ballet were invited to help in the presentation of the puck.

“This is perhaps the most valuable puck in the history of “Dinamo Riga” and it is a contribution of “Skonto Būve” to make the new season especially successful for the team. We are together with the team “Dinamo” for the fifth season already and there have been both very successful and not so successful seasons, but the team has proved itself to be a team of fighters. And therefore we have special satisfaction because “Dinamo” is a source of inspiration for young sportsmen, which raises our national pride and confidence. I would like to wish that this season all the pucks for the team are as noticeable as the puck presented by “Skonto Būve” and none of them be let in the goal of our team!” wished Chairman of the Board of “Skonto Būve” Guntis Ravis (Guntis Rāvis) when presenting the puck.

Traditionally, the 200 thousand euro cheque has been invested in developing the contribution of “Dinamo” of “Skonto Būve” and strengthening the national pride of Latvia for the fifth season already.

After two years of intensive work the greatest water management development project in Latvia, in Tukums has been completed, which included the construction of water supply and sewage networks with a length of 120 km. The total design and construction costs of the project reached 16.1 million lats, of which construction works in the amount of 13.9 million lats were performed by “Skonto Būve”.

In the framework of the project, total water-supply systems with a length of 59.7 km were constructed and reconstructed with supply to 1718 estates, as well as 60 km of sewage networks were constructed and reconstructed with supply to 1586 estates. 13 new sewage pumping plants were constructed which will ensure waste water pumping so that the waste water is purified in the town purification plants in Tile.

Chairman of Tukums Regional Council Juris Sulcs (Juris Šulcs): “This is an investment project of the widest scope in the field of water management, not only in Tukums, but also in the entire of Latvia! We are grateful to the general employer SIA “Skonto Būve”, as well as to subcontractors, building supervisors, project coordinators for such professional and high quality work. I hereby say “Thank you very much” on my behalf and on behalf of the residents of Tukums!”

Chairman of the Board of “Skonto Būve” Guntis Ravis (Guntis Rāvis): “It gives special satisfaction to work in the town where we established “Skonto Būve” almost twenty years ago, and where we have already opened several factories during these years. The implemented water management development project is the greatest one which has ever been developed; not only in Tukums, but also in the entire of Latvia, and this is confirmation of the development and further growth of the town.”

“Skonto Būve” slam dunk competition took place in the framework of the twenty-four hour basketball tournament “Krastu mačs”. Local "slam dunk" master Kristaps Dargais (Kristaps Dārgais)won the tournament for the second time this year and obtained the main prize in the amount of 3000 euros. In the competition of several participants he also beat the twofold champion of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Shannon Brown who has the highest vertical jump of the league.

The jury staff of the “Slam dunk” competition included President of “Skonto Būve” Guntis Ravis (Guntis Rāvis), Minister of Education and Science Vyaceslav Dombrovskis (Vjačeslavs Dombrovskis), Latvian basketball player Anete Jekabsone-Zogota (Anete Jēkabsone-Žogota), as well as VEF legend and the European best basketball player of 1981 Valdis Valters.

On the other hand, Daugava’s left bank team won the twenty-four hour basketball tournament “Krastu mačs”sponsored by “Skonto Būve” where professional sportsmen, sports enthusiasts and artists participated.

During his state visit to Latvia, Shimon Peres, the president of Israel, and Andris Bērziņš, the president of Latvia, unveiled a memorial to commemorate Zanis Lipke, a rescuer of many Jews. All the assets necessary for the construction of the memorial were donated by people, and Mr. Peres thanked the most generous benefactors, including Guntis Ravis, chairman of the board of Skonto Būve, for their support.

Shimon Peres,  president of Israel: “The whole of humanity can take pride in what Zanis Lipke did saving people during the terror under Nazism. Lipke symbolises humanity at its best, at its most profound and truthful. There is always a minority of people within a society, made up of good and courageous people ready to risk their lives every morning for the sake of good conduct, the way that Lipke did.”

Andris Berzins president of Latvia: “Lipke proves that even under the most horrible circumstances, the love of mankind cannot be defeated. A single determined man can change the world for the better. ”

The new memorial was created to commemorate Zanis Lipke who rescued numerous Jews. It is located just a couple of steps away from the place where he was hiding people destined to die under the German occupation during World War II, in an underground bunker he had dug under his woodshed.