Filenews 17 September 2022 - by Dora Christodoulou
The largest urban park in Cyprus is now a fact. In the heart of the commercial centre of Pafos, the preparations of the last two years have now been completed, for the creation of the park that covers a huge part of the central fabric of the city between Ellados Avenue, the streets to the Mouttallos district and which includes the very well-known to the Paphites area of "Pembes", one of the most famous green spaces of the city and which in recent decades had been reduced to a source of pollution and antisocial activities. Now, the Municipality of Paphos is counting down for the official ceremony of the inauguration of the great project and its performance to the citizens and visitors of the city.
The lens of "F" entered yesterday inside the impressive park and recorded for the first time since the beginning of the works the final image of the "Park of Colours", giving relief the magnitude of the environmental, social and aesthetic upgrade of a huge area, which until recently was a neglected part of the traditional "bazaar" of the city. As can be seen from the photographs, the thematic sections occupied by the area are now completed and impressive under the sun of the days, with the only "dissonance" being the still closed café-restaurant that dominates the park.
This is also the reason why, as revealed to "F" by the Mayor of Paphos, Phaedon Phedonos, the project has not yet been given to the public for use. "This will be done when the café-restaurant is awarded to a bidder to operate. This action is a prerequisite, in order to have a continuous movement of citizens in the area and in this way to avoid risks of vandalism or theft that may be done by unscrupulous people during the period when the services of the park will not yet be operational. The Municipality of Paphos is already paying a significant amount of money to a private policing company to avoid such possibilities.
But we are counting down. We give 4 million from the Municipality's Fund to invest in young people. In a few weeks, the largest organized park in Cyprus will be given for use. Paphos is changing".
The "Park of Colours", with an expense of about €3.5 million, covers an area of 32,000 square metres, making it the largest urban park in Cyprus and the most "rich" on the island both in terms of greenery and infrastructure. Hundreds of new trees have been planted in the Park, while wide gathering areas have been created, a fully equipped playground, a cafeteria, a tennis court, a basketball court, a small football field, changing rooms, a skateboard, a climbing wall of 3-6 metres, a management and information office, an exhibition outdoor area, an aromatic-botanical garden, sanitary areas, 83 parking areas for the public and people with disabilities, a main route, and entrance gates.
The colourful inscription, as required by the name of the project, "Park of Colours", although it is still covered by protective materials before its placement in its permanent location, predisposes the visitor to enter a colourful, shady and peaceful world next to the bustling commercial Ellados Avenue. The playground dominated by the huge iron windmill is ready to welcome children, as well as the sports courts next to it.
For the more "romantic" or nature lovers, the paths through the plantations and the centuries-old trees are ready, providing the necessary possibility of rest with benches every few metres, but also the necessary information with special inscriptions that have been placed in front of each type of flora.
The winding mosaic path will also take the visitor to the abundant white space of the café-restaurant that dominates the other developments, in order to enjoy catering services when the relevant announcement of the tender winner is made.
