By Andros G. Karagiannis *:
In Cyprus, each province has its own regional swimming pool except the province of Famagusta, which is the only one that lacks this good. As a result, more than 160 children of the Constantia Nautical Club are training in the auxiliary pool of the British Bases Agios Nikolaos - Dhekelia. Parents are forced to transport their children on their own and take on British controls with a high cost of renting the pool. The children of the Athletic High School and the Athletic Lyceum of Famagusta are also forced to look for small swimming pools available for training.
The high amount of rent deposited at the British Bases could be invested in an Olympic-standard swimming pool with a 50-meter pool and a 25-meter auxiliary pool. Many claim the high cost of maintaining the swimming pool, but in a place like Cyprus where there is an average of 350 days of sunshine a year, we could use solar energy for the needs of the heated pool in winter.
Since 2012, land has been leased to the Municipality of Deryneia for the construction of a regional swimming pool and the Municipality of Deryneia will bear the costs for the construction of the road network as well as some further costs to make the project more sustainable and functional. The project will cost around € 5m. and the amount will be paid through the CMO, which covers only the competitive part of the swimming pool.
Any efforts made by hotel units but also by the local authorities to create small swimming pools, are welcome. What we need, however, is an Olympic-standard swimming pool that offers opportunities for athletes, students, patients, foreign and local tourists to use it throughout the day for either sport or entertainment, thus helping to upgrade the tourism product and improving the quality of life of citizens.
The Ministry of Education and Culture and the CMO should try to include the Olympic sport of swimming in the school curriculum as is the case in other European countries. In the mornings the retirees will go to the swimming pool for recovery and relaxation, while due to its proximity to the General Hospital of Famagusta, we could promote Medical and Sports Tourism. Rehabilitation exercises can be performed in the water, aiming at the creation of a state-of-the-art Rehabilitation Center, specializing in physiotherapy, occupational therapy and rehabilitation. Both athletes and patients could stay in special hostels until they recover, thus creating the need for additional beds and the construction of small hotel units and the creation of new jobs.
In this way we will offer patients the opportunity for a decent life by bringing them back to normal. Water also helps in mental capacity and well-being in old age, promoting healthy and active aging.
Our society is aging and that is why we should offer opportunities for longevity and elimination of the stress of everyday life, which is caused by the intense rhythms of living. We could also, through the MENTA 50+ program, promote winter tourism for people over the age of 50, mainly from Northern countries, utilizing the quality medical care services of both the Famagusta General Hospital and the private clinics.
It should be noted that the swimming pool is not only used for swimming but also for other sports and activities, such as water polo, diving lessons, lifeguarding, synchronized swimming and for the empowerment of team athletes. Swimming is one of the best Olympic sports and activates all the muscles of the body.
The province of Famagusta, which has a tradition in swimming, lacks such an infrastructure project, which will serve several groups of the population, will attract foreign and local tourists and will contribute to the fight against seasonality.
We have a vision for our province and we ask that all stakeholders share our vision for the creation of a regional swimming pool of Olympic standards. It takes a lot of will, will, cooperation, but above all a political decision. Here is Rhodes, here is the leap in the swimming pool. We expect…
* Mayor of Deryneia