Children΄s playground in Karteria like a wilderness - residents demand clean-up and lighting
Karteria
12 Jun 2020
/ 09:08
CORFU. The ΄Athinagorio΄ children΄s playground in the Karteria community has become like a jungle.
A small piece of land abandoned to the ravages of time, overgrown and forgotten for years. Only a few of the older locals have memories of playing there as children.
The wild grass is up to 1 metre tall - making it both a fire hazard and a possible source of infection in a residential area. Whilst the Municipality is telling owners that they are obliged to clean their land as protection against fire, the 'ghost' playground is still waiting for funding from the Municipality...
A reader told Enimerosi that since 2014, when the 'Kantounistas' Association along with the Mantouki Brotherhood voluntarily cleaned it up and painted it, nobody has shown any interest.
Abandoned and without lighting, it is often the scene of anti-social and criminal activities and even syringes have been found there. In a technical report produced in 2016 it was stated that the sum of €6,000 was needed but it went no further. Legislation regarding the construction of children's playgrounds has now become extremely strict and the amounts required come to millions. The Karteria playground, however, was not included in the recent 'Philodimos' funding programme.
Enimerosi spoke to the Deputy Mayor for Technical Works, who said that he is aware of the situation and that, "The Mayor and I are in touch with the Ministry of the Interior. Procedures have been underway since the end of 2019 and Karteria is included and will follow the prototype of the six children's playgrounds that were renovated recently and are 90% complete. We expect to be in position to make an announcement very soon," said Nikos Kalogeros.
Local residents say that the immediate need is not for a complete renovation - "At least put up lighting and clean up the area! Don't leave it like a rubbish dump!" How difficult is it for that to happen?
The wild grass is up to 1 metre tall - making it both a fire hazard and a possible source of infection in a residential area. Whilst the Municipality is telling owners that they are obliged to clean their land as protection against fire, the 'ghost' playground is still waiting for funding from the Municipality...
A reader told Enimerosi that since 2014, when the 'Kantounistas' Association along with the Mantouki Brotherhood voluntarily cleaned it up and painted it, nobody has shown any interest.
Abandoned and without lighting, it is often the scene of anti-social and criminal activities and even syringes have been found there. In a technical report produced in 2016 it was stated that the sum of €6,000 was needed but it went no further. Legislation regarding the construction of children's playgrounds has now become extremely strict and the amounts required come to millions. The Karteria playground, however, was not included in the recent 'Philodimos' funding programme.
Enimerosi spoke to the Deputy Mayor for Technical Works, who said that he is aware of the situation and that, "The Mayor and I are in touch with the Ministry of the Interior. Procedures have been underway since the end of 2019 and Karteria is included and will follow the prototype of the six children's playgrounds that were renovated recently and are 90% complete. We expect to be in position to make an announcement very soon," said Nikos Kalogeros.
Local residents say that the immediate need is not for a complete renovation - "At least put up lighting and clean up the area! Don't leave it like a rubbish dump!" How difficult is it for that to happen?
