Aviation Engine Testing Laboratory
During the Soviet era, there was a strange object north of Spilves Street, if memory serves - with two low rectangular "mega-chimneys" built of red brick, from which a jet-like sound similar to the roar of airplane engines could be heard quite often.
People used to say that there was a place for repairing or testing warplane engines here. The noise from the terrible chimneys was so loud that it could be heard and even “felt” within a radius of several kilometers. How often did this happen? It’s hard to remember, but it was definitely once a month or two. I had the opportunity to officially stay in this area back in the days of independence, - then the owners here told me that there were still tanks with aviation fuel or some other chemical substance underground. The former military territory (between Spilves and Dzirciema streets) can be seen very well both “then” and now from the remains of the dunes located south of Spilves street. On the other side of Dzirciema street there was a huge tractor repair factory, where army rolling stock was also repaired.
