paphos public — The mayor of Paphos, Phedonas Phedonos, is encountering significant opposition to his proposal for transforming the parking area on Konstantinou Kanaris street into a public square.
- paphos public — The mayor of Paphos, Phedonas Phedonos, is encountering significant opposition to his proposal for transforming the parking area on Konstantinou Kanaris street into a public square.
- The mayor acknowledged the complexities surrounding multi-storey parking due to the presence of many Turkish Cypriot properties in the area, which complicates any potential development plans.
Diko councillor Agathi Savvidou, articulating the majority sentiment within the municipal council, has raised concerns that the initiative would exacerbate the already pressing parking shortage in the city’s centre. She argued for a more practical approach that prioritises the needs of residents, workers, and visitors alike.
In her plan, Savvidou suggested optimising existing public parking facilities while ensuring that the character of the area is preserved. This strategy, she noted, would be backed by comprehensive technical and economic feasibility studies.
“A multi-storey car park would provide substantial solutions to the chronic lack of parking spaces, enhance commercial and social activity, reduce traffic congestion and contribute to the sustainable development of our historical and commercial centre,” she explained.
Despite the backlash, Mayor Phedonos remains optimistic about the approval of his proposal, which he characterises as a minor alteration affecting only 13 to 14 parking spaces. He acknowledged the concerns voiced by local shopkeepers about potential loss of parking but highlighted the availability of approximately 600 additional parking spaces in the vicinity, asserting, “this is not the problem of our commercial centre.”
In a direct response to Savvidou’s assertions regarding the parking shortage, Phedonos was firm: “There is no shortage.” He further dismissed the call for multi-storey car parks as a populist move, stating, “When such needs arise, we have a plot of land allocated where we can create another 300 spaces without multi-storey buildings.”
The mayor acknowledged the complexities surrounding multi-storey parking due to the presence of many Turkish Cypriot properties in the area, which complicates any potential development plans.