On September 12, in the presence of the Minister of Transport, Mr. Alexis Vafeadis, the inauguration of the temporary pedestrian street and bicycle path on Aktaia Avenue will take place. At the same time, the Municipality of Limassol is moving decisively and at a fast pace both with regard to the cleaning of the wider area and the relocation of the traditional ship carpenters.
As stated to “Entrepreneurial Limassol” by the Mayor, Mr. Yiannis Armeftis, on September 12 the Ministry of Transport will honor the Municipality for its contribution to the events of the European Mobility Week. On the occasion of this award, the inauguration on Aktaia Avenue will also be held. The Mayor of Limassol has placed Aktaia Avenue at the center of his recent initiatives, since, as he emphasized, for him it represents “the backbone, the spinal column of development and quality of life in Limassol.”
“We want to connect the port with the city center. To create a road not for cars, but for pedestrians and cyclists. Essentially, we envision a linear park in the area while at the same time offering citizens the opportunity to enjoy the sea,” Mr. Armeftis noted. He further added that the first exploratory dives were recently carried out and the Local Authority received photographic material showing what lies on the seabed of this coastal zone. This is a collaboration between the Municipality of Limassol and the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), with the aim of studying and restoring the entire marine area between the Nautical Marina and the new port.
Beyond that, the Municipality aims to push forward discussions on relocating the boatyard and the ship carpenters from Aktaia Avenue, as well as demolishing illegal constructions and shacks along the entire coastal protection zone. The goal is to pave the way for launching an architectural competition with the purpose of shaping this rapidly developing area.
Regarding the relocation of the ship carpenters, the Mayor pointed out that it is the responsibility of the central government; however, the most likely locations are either the industrial port of Vasiliko or part of Limassol’s new port. “This relocation,” he added, “is an opportunity to create infrastructure that will practically support the shipbuilding industry and, by extension, the blue economy.”
Mr. Armeftis also mentioned that he has asked the owners of properties adjacent to Aktaia Avenue to proceed with land concessions for green areas so that vital public space can be created and integrated into the area’s final master plan. In addition, abandoned items in the area have been marked with the necessary signage and are being removed. Lighting has already been installed so that the area will no longer serve as a large dumping ground for the city. To date, more than 300 truckloads—about 3,000 tons—of waste and abandoned objects have been removed, resulting in the cleaning of a large part of the area.
The next step, according to the Mayor, is to connect the avenue with the new port via a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Garyllis River. At the same time, the architectural competition for the redevelopment of the entire 2-kilometer coastal front is being promoted, following a relevant decision of the Municipal Council.
