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In een speciale ceremonie, in aanwezigheid van de premier, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, vond op Plateia Nerou de officiële presentatie plaats van het nieuwe Metropolitan Park bij de Faliro-baai, dat wordt gerealiseerd door de regio Attica.
Tegelijkertijd werd het project omgedoopt tot “AENAON, het Open Park van de Middellandse Zee”, terwijl de aanwezigen de uiteindelijke vorm ervan in driedimensionale projectie konden zien.
In zijn toespraak benadrukte de premier het belang van het project, niet alleen voor het land maar ook voor Europa, en prees hij de samenwerking met de regionale gouverneur, Nikos Hardalias, en in het algemeen met de vertegenwoordigers van het lokale bestuur.
Specifiek merkte hij op dat het gaat om “een echt uniek park, niet alleen voor Attica maar durf ik te zeggen voor de hele Middellandse Zee, dat de inwoners van Attica evenals de miljoenen bezoekers een uitweg biedt voor recreatie en sport, vooral voor de inwoners van Kallithea, Moschato, en Palaio Faliro. […] We zijn een regering die harmonieus samenwerkt met de lokale overheid. U weet dat we met Nikos Hardalias en de burgemeesters een open communicatiekanaal hebben, allemaal werkend voor hetzelfde doel: het verbeteren van de levenskwaliteit van de inwoners van Attica, met kleine, middelgrote, en grote projecten, waarbij lokale geschillen opzij worden gezet en we altijd buiten het kader denken.”
De heer Mitsotakis karakteriseerde de in ontwikkeling zijnde Faliro-baai als “een groot ‘raam’ van de hoofdstad en Attica naar de zee”, waar een groen metropoolpark zal worden gecreëerd, met recreatiegebieden, cultuur, moderne infrastructuren en diverse activiteiten. Zoals hij opmerkte, zal in combinatie met het “Stavros Niarchos” Cultureel Centrum Piraeus over de gehele lengte van de kustlijn worden verbonden, tot aan Voula en Sounio, terwijl ook de olympische faciliteiten nieuw leven zullen worden ingeblazen.
Addressing the governor of Attica, the Prime Minister observed that this is “the most emblematic, my dear Niko, the ‘Aenaon’ park” from all Regional actions. “And rest assured that we will work together to meet those deadlines. We aspire here to have a truly unique park,” he assured Mr. Hardalias in conclusion.
For “a beautiful, special day for Attica,” remarked the governor of Attica in his address, noting that with the completion of the project, a new landmark will be created for the basin, which will become a pole of attraction for residents and visitors, and at the same time be “an ideal example of how urban renewals can be designed with sustainability, high aesthetics, and inclusion.”
Regarding the naming of the park, Mr. Hardalias mentioned that “AENAON” expresses the regional authority’s management philosophy for a “continuous effort to make a difference,” with the ultimate goal of improving the citizen’s daily life. He placed special emphasis on the project’s designation as the “Open Park of the Mediterranean”, a sea that is regarded as a “critical vital space from economic, geopolitical, cultural perspectives” for Attica, symbolizing the magnitude of the intervention that “goes beyond the region’s borders and even the country’s”.
The governor offered personal thanks to the Prime Minister, noting: “Once again, you trusted us in difficult times, and you were by our side in this special effort to revive the project. Now, we know that the bar is set high, and for us the new challenge is to be absolutely consistent with the implementation timeline.”
Mr. Hardalias revealed that the ongoing urban redevelopment will be extended, as with the consensus of the central government, the concession of Tae Kwon Do and Plateia Nerou from ETAD to the Region is expected to be completed within the coming months for the next 40 years. Moreover, he noted that a unified management entity will be established by the Attica Region, with the participation of all municipalities and bodies in the area, to form “a unified arc, a unified green island, a unique holistic approach to urban redevelopment.”
He also referred extensively to the strenuous efforts made by the current administration of the Attica Region to restart the dialogue with European partners and get the funding approved by the European Commission.
Concluding his speech, the governor characterized the Park as a model for the “metropolitan planning” of all major significance projects, with the Region having the exclusive competence and responsibility for their implementation. As he noted, significant projects will also be carried out in all 66 municipalities of Attica, within specific timelines and with secured resources.
For his part, Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Nikos Papathanasis, stated: “Our goal is the significant upgrade of the area, combining sustainability with aesthetics, so that both residents and visitors enjoy the experience. Mr. Papathanasis congratulated Mr. Hardalias for his decisive contribution to the current result and emphasized: “Our strategic aim is for all available union financial means to be utilized and absorbed, with a view to public interest and social cohesion.
For an iconic project, based on the principles of the European Bauhaus, stated, in the greeting she sent via video, the European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, emphasizing that the new Metropolitan Park in Faliro Bay constitutes an “example of excellence in public investments not only for Greece but for the whole of Europe, harmoniously uniting people and nature, citizens and their environment”. “As with any ambitious project, there were technical obstacles to overcome, and you managed it. This project would not have been feasible without the creative work, under the joint leadership of this combination of central government and local competent entities, particularly the regional governor Mr. Hardalias, with the support of the creative community of the new European Bauhaus, as well as without the expertise and the initial financial support, amounting to over 90 million euros, from the European Commission. We are therefore very proud to have been able to support your innovative ideas and innovative project,” she concluded. (29/11/2024)
PHOTO: Attica Region Press Office
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