A series of projects financed through the Thalia 2021 to 2027 programme are changing public spaces across Cyprus, with work ranging from the restoration of historic buildings to new parks and university infrastructure.

In Nicosia, the old GSP stadium has been redeveloped into a public space featuring an urban park, outdoor amphitheatre and underground parking.

The project was completed in February of last year at a cost of €27.3 million.

A separate €7.8 million project restored and expanded part of the former municipal market for the CYENS centre of excellence, providing research laboratories, seminar rooms.

The project has been selected as one of 25 finalists for the European Commission’s Awards.

Larnaca’s Salina municipal park was redeveloped at a cost of €3.2 million, while the €2.9 million redevelopment of the Zouchouri area included new paving, green spaces, accessibility measures and the restoration of surrounding facades.

In Limassol, a €2.3 million project transformed a public space on Gauguin street into a park with sports and recreational facilities, a playground and an open-air theatre.

A former workers’ housing complex was also restored and combined with a new building to create a municipal social services centre through a €6.5 million project.

Paphos has seen several major interventions, for a €6.4 million project redeveloped the centre of Kato Paphos, whilst the former police station was restored as an ethnographic museum under a €12.7 million project.

A €20 million tourism school for the technical university (Tepak) was also developed in Paphos.

The building includes classrooms, laboratories, a library and study areas and can accommodate up to 1,000 students.

In Famagusta, a €900,000 multipurpose recreation space was developed in Sotira, including a sports field, outdoor exercise equipment, a playground and green areas.

Further work is under way in Nicosia on the redevelopment of the moat around the old Venetian walls.

The €10.4 million project includes a walking and cycling route, green spaces, is scheduled for completion in November 2027.

The Thalia programme is used as a tool for EU cohesion policy, amd has a total public budget of about €1.8 billion.

EU cohesion policy is intended to reduce economic and social disparities between regions and support development across member states.