Hellenikon to be developed
Public Works Minister Giorgos Souflias yesterday admitted that part of the former Athens airport in Hellenikon would inevitably be handed over for development but said that the rest of the area, used for a number of events during the Olympics, would be converted into Europe’s biggest metropolitan park. «There is no chance that a section of Hellenikon will not be developed. The Greek taxpayer will not be asked to pay for the construction of such a huge park and then pay for its maintenance as well,» said Souflias after meeting with four local mayors to discuss the site’s future. Hellenikon, which hosted baseball, fencing, kayaking and other sports during last summer’s Games, stretches over 530 hectares. Souflias said that some 100 hectares would be given over to developers, but did not specify what type of construction would take place. Last month, while confirming that none of the stadiums at Hellenikon would be torn down, he indicated that a hotel complex might be erected on the site. The site borders on the areas of Hellenikon, Glyfada, Argyroupolis and Alimos, and the four local mayors led protests last month over fears that the park could be overrun by developers. However, Souflias told them yesterday that his suggestion of partial development was the best deal they were going to get. «I told them that they are very privileged and they should enjoy that fact. They have the mountain and the sea next to them and will soon have the biggest metropolitan park in Europe,» he said. Souflias added that a six-month feasibility study of the area was about to start and that as soon as it was over, the mayors would be able to have their say. He also left open the possibility that some 4.5 hectares would be given over to Panathinaikos soccer club for the construction of a new stadium.
