“Apart from the external shops, no shops operate within the old Municipal Market”
The majority of the Polis Chrysochous Municipal Council gave the “green light” to the proposal of Mayor Giotis Papachristofis to demolish the old Municipal Market building in order to create a square.
In his statements to CNA, Mr. Papachristofis stated that apart from the external shops, no shops operate within the old Municipal Market. Therefore, he continued, the Municipal Council “almost unanimously adopted the proposal to demolish the building in order to create a square” without building anything else at that point.
The decision, he said, was taken in order to be included in the plan for the regeneration of the square and the historical center of the Municipality of Polis Chrysochous. He explained that between the Municipal Market there are two areas, which will be united as square areas. According to Mr. Papachristofis, the Municipal Market building, which has been abandoned since 2007, “had no architectural value and essentially burdened the image of the area”.
As the Mayor of Polis Chrysochous stated, the issue had also been raised by the previous Municipal Council, but at that time the majority was against the demolition of the building. He also said that three proposals that had been submitted and rejected envisaged the construction of premises in the building's place that would be rented out as recreation centers and restaurants.
Furthermore, Mr. Papachristofi expressed the hope that in 2025 the works of the core of Polis Chrysochous, the Prodromi, the amphitheater project and others would begin. Already, he said, the pedestrian streets in Polis Chrysochous and Latsi, the Polypark in Latsi, the Play Area, the Sanitary Areas in Latsi and others have been completed.
For the project of the historical core, he said that there is some delay and the Local Authority is in consultation with the Department of Urban Planning and Housing. It is expected, he continued, that both projects of the core of P. Chrysochous and Prodromi, which are both licensed, will begin.
It is noted that the decision to demolish the Old Municipal Market building has led to reactions from a number of stakeholders and affected professionals in the square.
