sign Bureau and Reserve Command Center of the same force. In 1977 Liep?ja was awarded the Order of the October Revolution for heroic defense against Nazi Germany in 1941. In Liep?ja 5 people were awarded the honorary title Hero of Socialist Labor � Anatolijs Filatkins, Art?rs Fridrihsons, Voldem?rs Lazdups, Valentins �uvajevs and Ot?lija �agata. Because of the rapid growth of the city's population, a shortage of apartment houses became an issue. To resolve this, most of the modern Liep?ja districts � Dienvidrietumi, Ezerkrasts, Zieme?u priek�pils?ta, Za?? birze and Tosmare � were built. The majority of these blocks were constructed of ferro-concrete panels in standard projects designed by the state Latgyprogorstroy Institute (Russian: ????????????????). In 1986 the new central city hospital in Za?a birze was opened. In 1979 a part of the film Moonzundwas filmed in the town.
1990�present
After Latvia regained independence, Liep?ja has worked hard to change from a military city into a modern port city (now marked on European maps after the secrecy of the Soviet period). The commercial port was re-opened in 1991, and in 1994 the last Russian troops left Liep?ja. Since then, Liep?ja has engaged in international co-operation, has been associated with 10 twin and partner cities and is an active partner in several co-operation networks. Facilities are being improved as the city hosts Latvia's largest naval flotilla, the largest warehouses of ammunition and weapons in the Baltic states, and the main supply centre of the Latvian army. At the beginning of the 21st century many ambitious construction projects were planned for the city, including building the NATO military base, the biggest amusement park in the Baltic states � Baltic Sea Park; but most of these projects have not been realised due to economic and political factors. On the other hand, some of the earlier planned projects were completed. Liep?ja's heating network was renovated in cooperation with
