Corfu Old Town Permanent Residents Association asks for civil protection and cleanliness measures during Easter

“Dear Mayor,
 
In view of the start of the tourist season and the Easter, which we are all expecting to celebrate after two years according to the Corfiot tradition, the Corfu Old Town Permanent Residents Association would like to point out the following:
 
 
Civil Protection
 
As is well known, the Corfu Old Town has very old buildings, with wooden floors, wooden staircases and wooden roofs, as well as many narrow streets and alleys. All of these are an obstacle in case of an emergency, such as a fire or an earthquake, and make the Old Town vulnerable. The whole situation becomes worse due to the large increase in the number of catering and entertainment establishments, many of which use bottled gas.
 
There are numerous obstacles in Old Town that are blocking access to ambulances and fire engines. The main ones are:
 
- Merchandise, tents, chairs and tables in the abovementioned establishments.
 
- Benches, planters and other obstacles placed by the Municipality.
 
- Too many cars in the town centre and lack of an organised parking plan.
 
The first two issues must be resolved immediately, while temporary traffic measures must be taken, with the main concern being the safety of residents, visitors and the monument. No new permits should be granted for the occupation of public space by chairs and tables and existing ones should be reviewed, while the pre-covid limits should return.
 
 
Cleanliness
 
The cleanliness issue is long-standing and is causing problems throughout the Central Corfu Municipality. In the Old Town, however, due to the many visitors, it is more intense than in any other area. With the exception of main streets where there are regular cleaning services, the alleys and neighbourhoods have to wait for weeks or even months to see municipal cleaners. To solve this problem, the following are necessary:
 
Daily Cleaning
 
Daily sweeping and washing of the Old Town’s main streets and squares are necessary, while the alleys should be cleaned at least 2-3 times per week.
 
Separate waste collection between residents and businesses
 
The many businesses, a lot of which belong to the catering sector, are responsible for the huge problem that is putting the citizens' health at risk and is making living difficult and the area unattractive. To this end, all businesses should be strictly forbidden to deposit waste to the existing bins. This measure will have multiple benefits as it will eliminate the phenomenon of overflowing bins, while there will no longer be kitchen waste on the streets. A specific time should be set for the collection of waste from businesses, during which small vehicles will pass by them to collect it. In addition, these vehicles will also be able to solve the problem of bulky waste, so that the bad image of the past does not occur again.
 
More bins for household refuse and in better locations
 
The locations and the number of bins at each location should change, in order to avoid central points of the Old Town, but also to better serve the residents, especially the elderly.
 
Monitoring and penalties
 
The behaviour of residents and businesses should be monitored with regard to the observance of the cleanliness regulations and, in case of non-compliance, severe penalties should be imposed.
 

Noise pollution
 
This is another long-lasting problem, which has become even worse in the last decade. The Municipality should ensure that the police regulations provided for by the legislation are being implemented and that there will be no extension to the hours when music will play, something that is often being violated. During the 2021 summer season, the measure to play music at the establishments at a level that was not disturbing the peace was implemented despite the fact that it was not included in the Covid protection measures, which proved that the establishments were operating while the residents were able to live without noise.
 
 
Easter events
 
One of the many proposals of the Association is that "in the streets, where the St. Spyridon procession, as well as the Epitaphios procession on Good Friday, will take place, the chairs, tables and other equipment should be removed at least 2 hours before the start of the St. Spyridon procession and 1 hour before the scheduled time of the Epitaphios procession. During this time, there should also be no music.
 
The abovementioned proposal, today, more than ever, seems necessary so that all residents and visitors, can once again experience Corfu’s customs.
 
We are at your disposal for any clarification and exchange of views.
 
 
Yours sincerely
The Association’s Board”