Filenews 15 February 2021 - by Dora Christodoulou
For a few years now, the residents of Paphos and the thousands of foreign visitors, before the pandemic, have enjoyed a completely new and upgraded image and operation of the central fabric of the city. In the near future, corresponding improvements, on a relatively large scale again, will be launched in areas of Paphos beyond its historic and commercial centre.
The new reconstructions will concern the area of Panagia Theoskepastis and the coastal roads that surround it, the district of Anavargou and the area south of the shopping center. Based on the provisions of the study carried out by a Greek house, the project will highlight to the best extent each regeneration area, provide incentives for the overall restoration of any abandoned or damaged buildings and greatly increase the number of visitors who tour the settlement, with the corresponding economic and social benefits for residents and local businesses.
Speaking to "F" about the new large-scale renewal being promoted by the Municipality of Paphos, EDEK municipal councillor Panagiotis Vorkas points out that the plans are at an advanced stage, and their first presentations have already been made to the public and the city's institutions.
"Today the studies are before the scholars again to complete them and for the municipality to be able to come out on offer relatively immediately," he stresses. "We hope that in 2021 we will be talking about the start of the implementation of this new package of major projects in the municipal area of Paphos".
The objectives of this effort, as Panagiotis Vorkas points out, are the enrichment and upgrading of the functional infrastructure of each area through the regeneration and landscaping of the roads, the removal of small and unsuitable unlicensed structures on the surface of the road, both to provide a satisfactory level of services for the local population and the travellers, as well as the construction of facilities to attract visitors.
Also, the protection, management and planning of the landscape of each region through the recording and evaluation of the characteristics that make up it, he says, the protection, management and design of an integrated flood water system, as well as the complete internment of utility networks will be of paramount importance for the projects to be carried out.
The study areas were captured in detail with modern methods of 3D digital imaging and the background for the development of the regeneration study was created, according to the municipal councillor of EDEC.
"Regarding the district of Anvargos", he explains, "The Greek scholars characterize it as peri-urban which includes mainly houses without other activities of low or medium nuisance. Due to location, however, it is used as an intermediate destination for access to dynamically developing adjacent residential development areas. Due to the small width of the road surface and the heavy traffic load especially during the morning and midday hours of the day, significant problems are recorded in the smooth movement of vehicles, they find. The proposed traffic arrangement saves little living space to provide organized parking spaces in a zone alongside the flow of vehicle traffic to meet basic needs so as not to burden the settlement with uncontrolled parking by casual visitors."
In the central area of the settlement which has potential characteristics of a square, interventions are planned for the development of a common area with green zones, living rooms and generally as an elementary area of assembly and recreation of the community, the study provides for Anvargos, says Mr. Vorkas.
Targeted interventions of the city's shopping centre
Regarding the redevelopment of the southern part of the already redeveloped commercial and historical center, Panagiotis Vorkas explains that this is the part of it that was not integrated due to geomorphic characteristics in the great regeneration of the centre in previous years and which will now, after the implementation of these projects, be a complete part of the commercial centre of Paphos.
"The expert study points out that within the area, due to the narrowness of the road network, the feeling created in the common area is negative due to the absence of greenery or open free spaces," he explains. 'The movement of vehicles on the road network, which also includes sections with a sufficient or even strong gradient, is problematic, because it concerns not only residents but also transit residents who try with alternative routes to avoid overloading the adjacent crossings of the nearest main arteries.
Also, the building stock of the area includes old houses, a few abandoned buildings, but also new buildings mainly using housing, offices but also a few shops on the ground floor, observe the scholars. The general image of the area is aesthetically negative due to the diverse presence of all kinds, private buildings and the lack of care for the living communal space. In this context, the main objective of the proposed redevelopment is to organise and promote the public space through targeted interventions".
Points of prominence in the area of Theoskepastis
Of particular interest is the study of the house for the area of Panagia Theoskepastis church and the surrounding streets, due to the fact that it concerns the heart of the tourist area Kato Paphos. As Mr Vorkas points out, the subject of the study is a large part of the tourist area of Kato Paphos and indeed the most commercial part of it.
"The characteristics of the area", he stresses, "include the sense of open space with visual escapes to the beach, the church, the archaeological zone and the recreation zone where most food and leisure shops are concentrated, as well as the large pedestrian traffic. In many places, especially on Leda Street, the commercial character is intense, often expressed in an aggressive advertising way and in media, such as the apparently arbitrary constructions for table seats, excessive inscriptions and constructions of all kinds".
The main objective of the proposed redevelopment, according to the scholars, is to organize and promote the public space through targeted interventions. The proposal takes into account the traffic study of the wider urban area and the agency's suggestions that one-way traffic is planned for most of the road network.
"Points to be highlighted in the area", says the municipal councillor Paphos, "are the holy church of Panagia Theoskepastis, the old kindergarten building, the path to and from the archaeological site, Poseidon Avenue to the plateau around the existing information building of the then CTO that is planned to be demolished, the visual escapes to the sea, as well as the vertical paths leading to it.
The characteristics of the road network as they exist and are proposed to be modified allow the creation of safe pedestrian zones and the placement of a blind driver satisfactorily'.
