Ypsonas municipality is proceeding with the creation of a cycling park with a network of Mountain Bike routes of all levels on Vounaros hill, overlooking the Kouris dam and the Limassol coastal front, in order to exploit for sports this wonderful but degraded space within the boundaries of urban Limassol. An advisory role in this effort was voluntarily undertaken by the Alyssos Research Group (a non-profit company) that was created in 2020 to promote projects of cycling interest and consists of people who have been actively involved in the sport for 25 years. The Research Team, which was approached by the mayor Pantelis Georgiou, drafted a relevant proposal.
Provision was made for the routes to use existing forest roads, old abandoned paths and to utilize steep downhills, rocks and mounds to create natural obstacles. But also, to approach cultural elements of the hill, such as abandoned furnaces and farms that operated decades ago. It will be an easily accessible park, which every citizen and every Limassolian will be able to use daily. For the Alyssos Research Group, it is a challenge to demonstrate that the implementation of these infrastructures will have great demand, very cheap construction, not burden the natural environment and finally upgrade and bring back life to degraded areas.
As we were told by the team, the mapping of the first route has been completed, which will have an All Mountain - Enduro character and will be addressed mainly to cyclists with medium to high level technical skills of bicycle handling. At the same time, due to the provision for the creation of an alternative route in difficult places, it can also be used by beginner cyclists. The landscaping works have already begun by municipal staff and volunteers from the cycling community. In order not to alter the character of the hill, the use of an excavator will be avoided, having almost all work done with hand tools.
