ENVIRONMENT

The cities of Thessaly are changing their face with the urban regeneration and environmental upgrading program financed by the Region of Thessaly with resources from the NSRF 2014-2020 and implemented by the Municipalities. Also, important projects have been included in the Public Investment Program of the Region, providing citizens with modern urban buildings and attractive public spaces.

All big cities are becoming more modern, more beautiful, more functional and more human. With the urban regeneration program that the Region of Thessaly prepared with strategy, responsibility, reliability, cooperation and consultation, the settlements with a population of over 5,000 inhabitants, which create and upgrade outdoor spaces, as well as the capitals on the islands of the Sporades, also benefit.

Specifically:

The interventions funded by the Sustainable Urban Development (SUD) strategies in Larissa, Volos, Trikala and Karditsa are numerous and targeted. The total budget reaches 48.4 million euros, with funding from the NSPE of Thessaly.

-In Larissa, the program entitled "The city in the foreground" and a budget of 15 million euros finances 17 projects for the promotion of culture, (such as the completion of Proscenium Culture and the project at the Geni Mosque), for sustainable urban mobility, (light-traffic roads, new network of pedestrian and bicycle routes, reconstruction of the moat and footbridge of New Smyrna), for the reorganization of businesses and employment support in the intervention areas but also for the integration of vulnerable social groups (playgrounds for children with special needs, Support center for children with Down syndrome, homeless accommodation structure) etc.

- In Volos, the program includes 27 projects, with a budget of 15.1 million euros. The Volos Theater becomes operational, the University Square is renovated, as well as the area of the old Port Authority, the network of sidewalks and light traffic roads is expanded, new bicycle paths are built in the city center and in Nea Ionia, footpaths and sidewalks, two new parking lots and an automatic bicycle distribution system is installed. Also, actions for entrepreneurship and social solidarity (such as job centers, employment facilitation and business information offices, training for the unemployed, counseling and actions for Roma, Homeless Hostel) etc.

- In Trikala, the program entitled "An open model city on the banks of Litheo", includes 15 interventions with a budget of 9.9 million euros for: redevelopment of the central square and the National Resistance square, redevelopment of the coastal area of Litheo, environmental and aesthetic upgrade of the southern entrance of the city (Trikalon-Karditsa municipality), upgrade of sidewalks and creation of roundabouts, creation of an extensive network of cycle paths, upgrade of the municipal skate park in the area of the Papastathi camp and creation of an alternative activities park, operation of a Social Restaurant, Open Center Homeless Day, Migrant Integration Center as well as actions to strengthen very small and small businesses in the city center.

-In Karditsa, the program entitled "City to live" and a budget of 8.4 million euros will finance 19 new projects such as the conversion of Charitou into a light traffic road, the construction of a bicycle path in Ir. Polytechnic University, expansion of the network of cycle paths, the upgrading and expansion of the use of shared bicycles, environmental upgrades in the area of the new Town Hall and the Municipal Stadium of Karditsa, the formation and promotion of public spaces in the neighborhoods of the city and even social actions such as the creation of a Multispace of Solidarity, the support for structures such as Theodorideo Center "Horizontes" and apartments for the homeless, actions to strengthen small and medium entrepreneurship, etc.

In addition, with funding from the NSRF (42 million euros), the image of Karditsa is changing, with the reconstruction of the road section from Delta to the entrance of the city.

Settlements with 5,000 inhabitants

All settlements with a population of more than 5,000 people benefit from the urban regeneration and environmental upgrading program of the Region of Thessaly, funded by the NSRF. Projects with a total budget of 7 million euros have already been included in Agria, Nea Aghialo, Palama, Giannouli, Kalambaka, Elassona and Farsala. They concern squares, playgrounds, sidewalks, outdoor spaces. Almyros and Tyrnavos also submitted proposals and are included in the program for funding.

And on the islands

The Northern Sporades Integrated Spatial Investment program, with a total budget of 43.7 million euros, will be the main tool for the development of the islands of Thessaly for the coming years, with funding from the NSRF. New and important projects are planned for interconnection infrastructures and renovations within the cities, in Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos.

Funded by PDE

Finally, with funding from the Region's Public Investment Program, important urban renewal projects are being carried out throughout Thessaly. For example, in Karditsa the building of the Old Electric Company (2 million euros) and the new District Headquarters (12 million euros), in Volos the building of the Yellow Warehouse (10.5 million euros), the Cultural Center of Asia Minor "Iones" » (800,000 euros) and the I. Mitropolis Boarding School (660,000 euros), in Larissa the roundabouts and the formations on Karamanli Avenue and the renovations on the beaches of Agia (6.3 million euros) with bridges, pedestrian paths, cycle paths, sidewalks, parking spaces, configuration of outdoor spaces, etc.