Improved Pedion Areos metropolitan park in Athens given over to public

Dourou walked through the improved areas and spoke to visitors and to children participating in the Kids's Athletics programme, run by the Attica Region. The reginal officials, she said, "walked through the park today, seeing our little friends playing sports, and counted victories small and large" before delivering a safer park to citizens. Even though there still is a lot to be done, she added, "we can guarantee that all future improvements will be carried to completion."

According to an Attica Region press release, several improvements were carried out in Pedion Areos, including 24-hour security patrols, as well as upgrades in the park's infrastructure.

The park's green areas were curated, public lighting was also repaired or re-installed, making the park a brighter, safer place to walk through at night, and the Alsos-Economides Theatre, situated at the heart of the park, which had been derelict for many years after having staged historic shows, was renovated from the ground up.

Facilities for children to play at were improved or upgraded, and cleaning and maintenance of green areas is now carried out without interruption.
A total of 882 new trees and 995 shrubs were planted in 2017, and pruning, cutting, and other landscape improvements were carried out on 1,000 trees and 19,000 shrubs, including the shrub borders running to some 53,000 metres.

Attica Region Vice Governor Ermina Kyprianidou said the park's popularity has "exploded" as it is now an oasis of green, offering cultural and sporting activities for all. "We have won this paricular bet after 4.5 years of copious work," concluded Kiprianidou.

A sporting event open to all will be held at Pedion Areos Park on April 7, to celebrate the new facilities.