The Charity Association «O Synanthropos», communicated the idea to institutions, residents, local and regional government in all prefectures and the response received exceeded, as the President of the Association Sifis Hiotakis told APE-MPE, «...every noble expectation». It is about the creation of a Coexistence Park for children with disabilities and typical children in Sternes Akrotiri, in the area where the 2nd Special Kindergarten and Primary School is housed. As Mr. Chiotakis explained to APE-MPE, «our aim is to create within the total area of the property of 5,000 sqm, a playground for the coexistence of typical children and children with disabilities, just outside the courtyard of the Special School, covering an area of about 460 sqm, which will include special games, suitable to be used by all children. Also, an area with a landscaped area entirely with integrated games, of an area of 360 sqm, and a walking path which will allow for walks for children who, despite their difficulties, need to bridge their relationships with other children of their age. It also includes a 50-100 seat theatre on the site where the threshing floor currently stands, as well as two toilets suitable for disabled people.» The total cost of the study was covered by funds from the support group «Synanthropos», while the cost of landscaping and purchase of toys, which amounts to about 350,000 euros, will be covered by funding from the municipality of Chania.
Speaking to RES-ME the mayor of Chania Panagiotis Simantirakis, spoke of the absolute need for joint action and solidarity citizens, solidarity associations and municipal authorities to relieve the vulnerable citizens. «Among them, children and our fellow human beings with special needs, whom we must have them absolutely next to us and be, absolutely supportive of their needs. Therefore, the municipality supports and funds the entire creation of the Coexistence Park. It is a step, I would call it heavy and firm, towards the path towards the activation of all citizens, especially to offer our vulnerable fellow citizens, the children, all together with interventions and cooperation with solidarity, support and associations of disabled people. We are trying to improve infrastructure, to communicate the value of solidarity, which as shown in the prolonged period of economic and health crisis, through this, we ensured with joint actions, basic needs for vulnerable people and together of course we always succeed.
Moreover, as Mr. Chiotakis explained, «...during the design of the area we will organize various actions, involving our volunteers and residents of the wider area, aiming to raise awareness and ultimately the coexistence of citizens, with the specific facilities for the coexistence of typical children and children with disabilities that for the first time Chania will acquire with the possibility of course the Park can be used by children throughout Crete and not only.» He stressed that «the creation of the Park is a huge imprint on the people of Crete, since there is no equivalent in the entire island.
The designers of the project are the architects Anna Tsitonaki, Georgios Kalligeris and Stella Kamarianaki, while the supervision of the study is Maria Androulaki architect from the Technical Department of the Municipality of Chania.
«The creation of the Coexistence Park is a project that proves that societies, when they decide to do so, can move forward without divisions between citizens, realizing that wars are won by united fighters,» Stavros Arnaoutakis, the regional governor of Crete, told APE-MPA and added: «As many times as we have invested in solidarity with each other, as citizens, as local government, as institutions, there has not been a single time when we have not been victorious. The prize of all of us, the smiles and bright eyes of children, of our fellow human beings belonging to vulnerable groups, of all those who, through the support of one to another, see their lives and their everyday life getting better.».
As to the path that has been traced from the initial idea to the present day when the implementation of the Coexistence Park starts, the president of «Coexistence» pointed out: «Although we were not sure whether we would be able to activate emotions, the understanding of simple logic for children with special needs, services and institutions, we finally reached the point of being amazed at the speed, cooperation, kind and true treatment of our idea, elements that reduced the time of our efforts and waiting to press the button to activate the project. The truth is, and we proved it, that small groups make the big ones and communities are seen in the difficult ones.».
Referring to the project, architect Anna Tsitonaki told RES: «It may be the first implementation of such a special and specific project on such a scale in Greece, which is not only a playground, but a whole theme park for the coexistence of children with disabilities and typical children, without excluding all ages».
As the Municipal Authority said, the project is hoped to be delivered in one and a half years, while the president of «Synanthropos» pointed out that along with the implementation, programs from the European Union will «run» that will help in the completion of equipment and materials for the formation of the Coexistence Park. Mr. Chiotakis also told APE-MPA that «inside the Special School in Sternes Akrotiri, the equipment has already been purchased and a sensory integration room is being created, which concerns the development of senses in the children of disabled students of the special school».
