The overall redevelopment of the Agios Tychonas seafront promenade remains in search of funding, while the project to upgrade and connect the seafront axis in the Dasoudi area, from Akti Olympion to Atlantica Miramare, appears to be at a more advanced stage. The long-term goal of creating a continuous coastal route connecting eastern Limassol with Kourion remains on the table, although it has yet to be transformed into a mature project.
Speaking to “Entrepreneurial Limassol”, Amathounta Mayor Kyriakos Xydias said that the plans for upgrading the existing Agios Tychonas seafront promenade have been completed and have already been presented at government level. The main obstacle at this stage is securing the necessary funding. As he explained, the issue was raised again with the Minister of Interior, who was asked to examine the possibility of funding the project. According to Mr Xydias, the Minister indicated that the scope for new urban planning projects is limited, as the relevant ceilings imposed by the three-year fiscal framework have already been reached.
“We are looking for funding,” the Mayor said, noting that the issue was also discussed during a recent meeting between the Limassol Tourism Development and Promotion Company and the Deputy Minister of Tourism, without, however, any specific development emerging. He noted that both the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and the Limassol Tourism Development and Promotion Company view the project positively, clarifying, however, that the substantial funding required will have to be secured at government level.
The Municipality of Amathounta has presented the plans to the Presidential Palace, while the project had also been brought before the President of the Republic. Asked whether there is still a prospect of securing funding through the Presidency, Mr Xydias said that, if there is currently a possibility of overcoming the financial impasse, it appears to remain at this level. The plans provide for a substantial refurbishment of the existing promenade without altering its basic alignment. The aim is to address the deterioration that has accumulated over time, enhance safety, upgrade lighting and improve the overall aesthetic appearance of the seafront.
Until funding is secured for the overall intervention, the Municipality is proceeding with individual maintenance works at points where problems have been identified. The picture is more optimistic for the project concerning the upgrade of the seafront promenade in the Dasoudi area and its connection, to the west, with Akti Olympion and, to the east, with the Atlantica Miramare area.
There is already a provision for the specific project in the state budget. As the Mayor of Amathounta noted, the necessary technical procedures and the relevant study still need to be completed so that the required approvals can be obtained and the project can be put out to tender. This is the section currently considered to be the most mature and, once implemented, it will address a significant gap in Limassol’s continuous coastal network for pedestrians and cyclists.
The next challenge remains the connection from Miramare eastwards, up to the existing Amathounta promenade. As early as January, Mr Xydias had pointed out that this particular section presents greater difficulties, also due to interventions by private developments and properties within the coastal protection zone. The broader plan also includes the unification of the seafront promenades so that, over time, a continuous route can be created from Amathounta all the way to the Municipality of Kourion.
Mr Xydias made it clear that this prospect currently remains more of an idea and a strategic direction than a mature project ready for implementation. The intention is to examine it as part of the broader strategic planning being prepared with the participation of universities, in order to determine how it can be incorporated into a comprehensive and feasible plan for Limassol’s seafront.
The priority for the Municipality of Amathounta remains, however, more immediate: to first move forward with the mature Dasoudi project, secure the continuation towards Miramare and the existing Amathounta promenade and, in parallel, find the funding that will allow the overall redevelopment of the Agios Tychonas promenade. The major connection all the way to Kourion remains the ultimate destination. Before that, however, there are still several pieces of the coastal puzzle that need to be connected.
