It is said that in order to discover the city in which you live you have to walk through it. This way you learn the streets, feel the vibe of each neighborhood, breathe fresh air in and much more. It is, therefore, essential to be able to navigate through your city pleasantly and unhindered. There is no denying that efforts are being made by some municipalities to improve the quality of life of citizens, but I have the impression that, in many cases, not enough is done while money is being wasted without substantial result.
Parks, for instance, constitute a gathering space for families, friends and pets. They could be upgraded to a great extent and constant care and supervision could be put into place so that they become more attractive to residents and get used effectively. Specifically, in my attempt to take my 21 month old daughter for a walk in parks in the neighborhood, I realized that across all three parks in my area there was no lighting at 6:00 p.m., and so we had to resort to a private playground.
Neighbourhood parks constitute a point of entertainment and the least that municipalities can do is take good care of them and confirm that they can be suitably used for the purpose of their existence. Lighting, a good state of maintenance of the children’s play amenities and of the greenery and specially designed space for pets are indispensable elements of each park.
Furthermore, it is a sad realization that many places in our cities are not accessible. People with disabilities and parents with children carts put themselves at great risk in areas where there are no ramps, where cars are parked on sidewalks or even worse when there are no sidewalks and so on. Moreover, several of the pedestrian crossing lights are malfunctioning and this makes walks even more difficult or even impossible.
Our cities are to be lived in. More care should be taken with particular reference to the quality of life, with human being at the centre. The attention of the municipal councils must be turned towards this direction because, at the end of the day, they are elected to improve the quality of life of citizens and that must be their goal.
Alexia Sakadaki
Member of the Central Committee