Is there a future for Kardamena?

IS THERE A FUTURE FOR KARDAMENA? by the coalition party “Elpida”- Mr. N. Mylonas

We invite our friends of the party to participate in the popular assembly, even though it should have taken place before the budget was adopted and projects for 2012 implemented. Now only as an appeasement, in view of popular discontent, it can be viewed. But even so, it is worth participating!

For many years Kardamena was the pioneering engine of growth of mass tourism. Many have profited! Few people expected the fall! Since then, there were voices calling for a rationalisation of the so called ”development processes”

Today Kardamena has lost what was its competitive advantage: the natural environment! That is what made it capable of competing with the city of Kos, on income and profits, without having the appropriate infrastructure! But the region, has suffered and continues to suffer from overexploitation, caused by mass tourism, but also from the lack of resistance …. by the residents!

The challenge is: how can they turn the disadvantages to advantages? The problems are environmental and development, and must steer in the opposite direction to that was until yesterday. —

It is absurd to discuss any other developments, before we solve the problem of water quality of Kardamena! —

In many large tourist complexes, which create tremendous economic pressure on all the small businesses (small hotels, apartments, retail stores, coffee shops, etc). The mode calls for change. What can and must be done is to place a barrier of burdening land use in the region, by mass tourism, and to promote the diversification of the tourism product.

Kardamena, with interventions and organsation of space, definition of land use, expansion and enhancement of internal public areas, upgrading of the extensive sea front and at some places restoration to its previous physical condition, pedestrian zones, cosmetic alterations, etc. will change the bad situation which exists. The implementation of the urban zoning plan, completion of the expansion project, with the necessary amendments to meet modern requirements. The construction of the perimeter road will help decongest the central core, as well as pedestrian areas and the comprehensive one-way road, according to the application of Law 947/79, for the creation of parking spaces in new building constructions, construction of the proposed green spaces in accordance to the town zoning plan, the creation of parking area at the entrance of the village, and the partial regeneration and the creation of a large park outside the village, all this will change the current situation and will breath new life. —

The construction of the new primary school, the conversion of the existing primary school into a long lasting cultural events centre, the construction of the cultural route to the site of ancient Alasarna and the theater will create a cultural reserve which is presently, non-existent.

The path to the castle must be promoted as a path of historical interest. Public land in the old Kardamena can create a forest lung to improve the microclimate of the village.

A very serious problem is the coastal erosion and the disastrous affects of the closed port. —

Yes there are ways! The trouble with the present local authority is that it does nothing, or else, it is moving in the opposite direction! an example, freezing the process for the urban zoning plan! —

How would you finance all this? Only one way exists: to change the structure by merging all the profits! These so called: all inclusive,big hotels, big supermarkets, are the centralisation of the surplus areas in the local economy.

 A re-calculaion of municipal services, and a revision of the DI.FO.DO. (Department of Municipal Tax) should be targeted: to increase its own resources within the Municipality! Their justification is based on, that the profits from mass tourism, comes mainly from the exploitation of our natural resources! And this is the basis for the local council redistribution of the profits For the coalition party

“Elpida” N. Mylonas 

Translated from Kosnews by Michelle Stelletos

Short URL: http://www.kos-explorer.com/?p=22038

Posted by Tracey Sakellaris on Jan 23 2012. Filed under Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry