Filenews 10 May 2021 - by Dora Christodoulou
Three new parks in the making, a linear park-border with neighbouring Paphos, improvement projects in various areas and the great development in the old KEN Paphos that will have even indirect connection with the image and quality of life in the centre of the Municipality, are the spearhead for the transformation of Geroskipou into a green area.
The Municipal Authority with the assistance of organized groups and businesses drastically changes the image of the second population municipality of Paphos province, creating places of environmental value, recreation and rest for its citizens and visitors.
The effort has already entered the implementation phase with the two new green spaces in the district of Kolonis. The Municipality of Geroskipou, the Citizens' Initiative "100,000 trees", the Centre for Studies and Research Akti, the Lions Clubs of Paphos and the Athinodoros Group of Companies, organized a few days ago the first tree planting in two places in order to create the two new green lungs in the area.
The event was attended by members of the City Council, many citizens and other volunteers. The Mayor of Geroskipou, Michalis Pavlidis, pointed out that the green space will essentially be the beginning of a linear park that will end at the other end of the municipality, at the location "Seven Agios-Georges", covering a distance of almost four kilometres. The event for the creation of the two new green spaces, he stressed, is the continuation of a green policy of the municipal authority in which more than two thousand trees have been planted.
One of the two new parks that are now being created in the district of Kolonis will bear the name "Andreas Athinodoros", since the group of companies of its descendants has also contributed financially to the creation of the project.
In the margins of this effort made by the Municipality of Geroskipou to improve the quality of life of its citizens, it has also recently moved on to the placement of new and modern toys that meet the relevant European safety standards, in playgrounds and green spaces within the municipal boundaries.
The cost of buying the playground equipment amounted to €25,000, while the municipality is gradually and targeted at specific actions and interventions, with the ultimate goal of upgrading and enriching the existing parks and green spaces.
The green character of Geroskipou, will also enrich a project that is essentially not theirs, but of the Municipality of Paphos and which, however, has direct connection and benefits for Geroskipou due to the natural continuity of the two neighbouring authorities. It is the great work of creating one of the two linear parks in Paphos that are now in the final design stage. The linear park that has to do with Geroskipou, is the one that will start from the boundaries of Koni and through the large Argaki passing through the Pafiakos Stadium will end up in the coastal area of Kato Paphos, following from north to south the "borders" of Paphos and Geroskipou.
Grandiose planning has been on the table for several years, but with no practical effect so far, despite the possibility of co-financing it from the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union. However, the design has now been completed and we are on the eve of the construction phase, as the officials of the Municipality of Paphos stress.
Park by Korantina Homes
The new green acquisition of the Municipality of Geroskipou will come with a contribution from the private initiative and in particular the company Korantina Homes. The people of this construction group are rapidly promoting the preparations for the start of the work of creating a new green lung and recreation, in the Municipality of Geroskipou. It is a park that will bear the name of the prematurely deceased citizen of Geroskipou, Andreas Stylianides, an active social citizen with a continuous presence in the social and political situation of Paphos province.
As announced as early as the beginning of April, the project will be undertaken and fully subsidised by Korantina Homes, as yet another practical example of the company's active attitude to the public benefit of Paphos. In the period since the decision taken by the company to build the project, the preparations are progressing rapidly and it is estimated that very soon we will move on to a stage of construction work, for a project that is already being treated with enthusiasm by organized groups and citizens of Geroskipou.
The plans for the Park "Andreas Stylianides" were served just before Easter by Korantina to the Mayor of Geroskipou. The new green and recreation area will be created in the area where the offices of the Department of Water and the 2nd Primary School of Geroskipou are located. As estimated by the company's officials, construction work will begin in May.
The exploitation of the old KEN Paphos
The green character of Geroskipou will also strengthen the largest project expected to take place in the next period within its municipal boundaries. This is the exploitation of the huge area of the old KEN Paphos, which was taken over by the municipality recently, following the €2.5m deal. with the owner of the site, Bank of Cyprus.
Although the development of the area will be targeted at various projects and forms of improvements, the aspect of the environmental promotion of this central area of the municipality will play an important role, since it will be connected to the neighboring Sculpture Park and the central square of Geroskipou.
The Mayor of Geroskipou, Michalis Pavlidis, stressed that the municipality has also reached an agreement with the ETEK in order for the scientific body to act in ancillary and advisory to the municipal authority on the issue of the large development planned by the Municipality and its central web, after the purchase of the old KEN Paphos.
"Because this is a huge area and buildings that are preserved with great value and importance," said Mr. Pavlidis, "we have agreed with the ETEK to assist the plans that we will draw up so that this development is appropriate".
At the same time, the Municipal Authority, with the involvement of other scientists and technocrats, is working in all areas so that the huge project of regeneration can begin to be carried out as soon as possible and without the delay that the waiting for the signing of the contracts would cause before the threads move.
The plans, following the agreement of the Municipality of Geroskipou and bank of Cyprus for the purchase of the historical site by the local authority, will start immediately with the aim of highlighting and protecting the preserved parts of the area, as well as its organic connection with the rest of the central fabric of Geroskipou, stressed Michalis Pavlidis.
This is highlighted, which also shows the intention of the competent authorities to proceed with a project which, in addition to the development and economic advantages for Geroskipou, will also contribute to a clear improvement of the quality of life in the central fabric of the municipality.
