About €50 million is the estimated cost to transform the former International State Fair in Engomi (including eight existing pavilions) into a public park.
The estimate belongs to the Mayor of Nicosia, Mr. Charalambos Prountzos, who clarified that this is a very rough estimate. Of the €50 million about €25 is expected to be allocated for the maintenance of eight of the 55 pavilions that operated at the International State Fair, while the remaining €25 million will be allocated for the creation of the park.
The Mayor also clarified that the buildings in the Exhibition area (area of about 240,000 square meters), will not exceed 10% of the space.
The Mayor stated that a study was prepared on the configuration of the Exhibition area and the data, both for the specific area and for the redevelopment of the SOPAZ area, are encouraging.
He also said that the HOA included in their planning the creation of two retention ponds, one of which will be located in the Exhibition area.
As he explained, some thoughts were made about the installation of the museum of contemporary art and the utilization of the pavilion of Greece, but the final decisions will be made along the way.
Regarding the improvement of the image of the Exhibition area (soffiting, electrical installations, cleanliness, etc.) until the final solution to be given is decided, the Mayor stated that about €2 million will be required.
Both the Mayor of Nicosia and Mr. Aristos Damianou, Chairman of the Interior Committee (before which the issue was discussed) acknowledged that Nicosia needs a satisfactory exhibition space, with an area of approximately 15,000 sq.m., without this implying that this space will be configured at the International Exhibition.
The residents of the area insist that the Exhibition space should be used only for the operation of an urban park. The same position was expressed by MPs Christos Christofias, Demetris Demetriou, Alexandra Attalidou and Stavros Papadouris.
