NEWS

City Hall puts playgrounds up for ‘adoption’

City Hall is reaching out to businesses to ?adopt? one of dozens of run-down playgrounds in the capital and invest in its renovation, it emerged on Tuesday.

Municipal authorities are focusing on dairy firms and other companies that produce goods aimed at youngsters, officials said. ?Already one company has expressed interest,? said Panayiota Psaraki, who is heading the project. Of the 132 playgrounds in Athens, 63 are in need of upgrading, she added.

The estimated cost of renovations ranges from 30,000 to 100,000 euros, depending on the size of the site.

To meet national safety standards, playgrounds should be equipped with games made of wood and plastic, not metal, and a special rubber ground cover rather than concrete, to avert injury.

Municipal workers who clean playgrounds report that many have been vandalized while it is not uncommon for them to be used by drug addicts.

It is hoped these problems will be partially tackled through the ?adoption? of some of the playgrounds by firms which will be given space on the sites to erect promotional placards.

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