So, our lovely new Piale Pashia street is almost complete (pending some greenery planting and benches in October). What do you think?
I have heard mixed views with some loving the fresh new look and others saying that the modern, grey vibe isn't in line with the traditional character of the rest of the area. But on the whole, people seem to be pleased with it and enjoying walking, cycling and skating along its length.
Personally, I think it looks nice and is certainly an eye-catching attraction for our town, but I do have my concerns! I wonder how long it will be until the budget runs out for the cleaning of the glass panels, designed to ensure uninterrupted sea views. Sure, it looks great now, but sooner or later, the glass will get to a point that it is not kept clean, or some scum will graffiti it. I hope this day doesn't come, but sadly maintenance requires a lot of commitment and money - be it your own home or public places - and if our parks are any indication of what happens after a while, then we are in trouble.
As for the parking situation, I thought that the municipality would clamp down hard on illegal parking but so far, I can see no deterrent and plenty of cars squeezed in, making it extremely difficult to drive along the road, especially for larger vehicles. Yes, we all want to park outside Militizis to enjoy our souvla, but it is clearly a no-parking zone – the width of the road and the bollards say it all!
Some drivers think that just because they can park and leave the minimum space for oncoming traffic to closely make it through, it must be okay. I have seen many a coach trapped because some ignorant diner has to be able to see their vehicle right outside the restaurant whilst they are eating, and despite the inconvenience they have caused, they don't seem to care or be in a hurry to move their obstacle of a vehicle. I am not mean-spirited but in cases like this, I do want to see people being booked and will not feel sorry for them in the slightest if they are.
Something else that really bothers me is the disparity between one side of the street and the other. One side gleams like a jewel, but on the other side we find shacks, tin-can structures, sheds and buildings ready to fall down. Aside from being an eyesore and a big stain on our shiny, new promenade, there is no way that they meet building safety regulations. Please correct me if I am wrong, but if those tin-roofed shacks are up to code, then truly, anything goes. Once again, I see nothing happening to remove them or bring them up to standard. I am not saying that every establishment on Piale Pashia should have to upgrade its appearance, but on the other hand, we can't leave the other side of the tracks looking like a salvage yard either.
So, whilst most of the restaurants and ice-cream parlours that line the road look great, and we now have our sea-view walk, cycling paths and a big car park to boot, all that is left is one last push to really get the area looking top-notch…
… and some flashing, all-singing-all-dancing neon signs that make it super clear that parking is not permitted!
First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly 05/09/14
