Mayor promises to improve town centre
GİRNE Mayor Nidai Güngördü forecast continued gridlock in Girne unless government speeds up plans for the Eastern Bypass, but has promised a more pedestrianfriendly town centre and a multi-storey car park. The independent candidate launched his re-election campaign press conference at the Grand Pasha Hotel on Tuesday with the slogan: “We made the change. I am for continued development.” Mr Güngördü detailed as successes of his four-year term Girne’s first town planning rules, a traffic masterplan and a new EU-funded four-municipality waste transfer station and education programme to beat the rubbish problem. He said high-rise development was now under control but the government should ratify Apartment Law articles for management by residents’ committee. Mr Güngördü said: “[In 1974] we inherited a town of 4,000 people which has become a cosmopolitan population of 100,000. The old image of a peaceful and quiet Girne is now one of a town home to 50 nationalities, tourism, entertainment and education.” Planning rules and new regulations on sound pollution would gradually solve problems, he added. Waste water problems could be solved by a project with an 80,000-population capacity, worth 8,000 to 10,000 euros, which had also been prepared for a joint water treatment plant in Çatalköy. No water shortages were envisaged in the future. Mr Güngördüu said central car parking was inadequate and a multi-storey municipality car park should be built on the site of the Girne fire station, which would be relocated to the bypass, away from central traffic.
He also plans to close parts of the town centre to traffic outside set service hours.
Meanwhile a recreational park project on a 25- to 30dönüm site — which was now impossible to find in Girne but could be achieved on Forestry Department land — would offer cycling and walking paths and a children’s park.
Mr Güngördü said: “We will continue with public consultations and want to establish youth and children’s committees for their own projects so that they have a voice. Our foreign residents are also important to us and a good example as very active citizens and volunteers.”
He added that recent municipality laws mandating security cameras for new businesses would help law enforcement and promised more action on traffic control in town via strict hours for business deliveries.
He said more than 20,000 tonnes of asphalting had been completed over 46 months on six main roads and 65 streets, along with roundabout and junction revisions; 10,000 metres of sewage pipes laid with 1,500 metres more already tendered for; and 8,000 metres of pavements completed.
The mayor listed a range of social and arts projects achieved by his administration, including the new municipality theatre, Limassol Houses of Culture, “Transformer” art gallery, a new animal shelter and public statues and monuments.
If re-elected he would continue with projects for a social centre for Ozanköy, a new museum for the town and a new promenade project from the Dome Hotel to the Dallas Büfe.