The coastal pedestrian streets of Protaras and Ayia Napa in the province of Famagusta offer a route with a sea background. The Municipalities of Paralimni and Ayia Napa are carrying out works to upgrade the coastal sidewalk and are running to secure approvals in order to be able to carry out the works in the winter. The projects are scheduled to start as soon as possible so that they can be completed in phases so as not to affect the summer season. Through the organized beach front, they are expected to offer even more in the service of visitors and bathers, including the disabled.
In Protaras, the coastal sidewalk under construction is the third phase of the project, the first and second phases of which have already been built since 2012. In Ayia Napa, an effort will be made to build a sidewalk by February 2018 in place of the existing one which has built about 25 years ago. The project will be constructed in two phases and occupies the coastal front west of the Ayia Napa fishing shelter in the direction of Nissi beach. The first phase will cover a distance of about 1500 meters from the car park in the port of Ayia Napa to Pernera beach in front of Electra Holiday Village.
In Protaras, the third phase consists of two parts. The first which is the northern continuation of the already constructed pedestrian street (length 1,3km from Pola Costa Bay to the bay of Golden Coast Hotel) and the second part which is the southern continuation (length 0,9km from Nafsika Hotel to the Islands area). The projected cost of the project reaches € 3 million, starting in October 2016 and ending in May 2017.
The Municipality of Paralimni will create a landscaped pedestrian street with squares, plateaus, urban equipment, lighting, and tree planting, which will be accessible along its entire length by everyone (including the disabled, families with children, and the elderly). The renovation of the coastal sidewalk extends to a total area of approximately 7000m², including the construction of the sidewalk with a total length of 2228 sq.m. , the installation in specific places of public shower areas, the installation or connection to the existing rainwater collection pipes of new pipes with a total length of 60 m and a diameter of 0.40 m as well as tree planting.
There will also be electrical work for the street lighting of the sidewalk, ramps and plateaus as well as work for the undergrounding of utilities.
The project will be carried out within the Beach Protection Zone without interfering with the sandy beaches which are the main existing use. Part of the proposed pedestrian path that extends from the hotel Nafsika to the area Nissia, is located at a length of about 480m near the sea area "Nissia", with an area of 89 hectares, which is part of the European Natura 2000 Network.
Along the pedestrian path in various places there is scattered natural vegetation of reeds, which will not be affected by the proposed development.
As far as Ayia Napa is concerned, the creation of a beach area for movement, social activity, entertainment and sports is planned on an otherwise inaccessible and inhospitable existing coastal front. The whole area of the project is organized with the introduction of urban equipment and facilities for both the hiker, the cyclist and the bather. The construction of docks gives pedestrian users the opportunity to access the sea without the existing risk of accidents due to the rocky inaccessible landscape of the beach which extends along the coastal front, accidents that have occurred repeatedly in the past in the effort mainly of tourists to reach the water crossing the inaccessible and dangerous rocks.
Upgrading of the existing one in Ag. Napa
The whole project in Ayia Napa is expected to cost € 3,5 million with the sidewalk being constructed on the exact same location of the existing sidewalk as it was 25 years ago, in order not to intervene in private sections through a new route and at the same time to upgrade the existing sidewalk, both in terms of materials and expansion of its width, to serve the rapid increase in the number of users, as well as the creation of the tangent bike path to serve the increased number of cyclists who will no longer intervene in the sidewalk area for their trafficking.
The project includes the coastal walkway of a total width of 5 m and a length of 2.850 meters, 3 playgrounds, flower garden with endemic flora, nature observatories, courts with international standards for beach volley, beach soccer and skate park, docks and platforms in and in to the sea for public access to water, parking along the entire project that has access to and from the existing road network, as well as urban equipment that includes benches, waste baskets, drinking water taps, public showers, shelters, locker rooms / toilets.
Source: Liberal