The Limassol Municipality has filled a significant gap in beach maintenance, with a modern sand-cleaning vehicle delivered and put into operation yesterday. The machine, acquired at a cost of €250,000, is the Beach Tech 5500, a specialist vehicle designed to clean and filter sand of waste and unwanted objects. Until now, sand cleaning along Limassol's coastline was carried out rarely and primarily by hand.
The machine is capable of removing everything from large objects such as plastic and glass bottles and tin cans, down to cigarette butts discarded carelessly in the sand.
The seafront transformed
Limassol's seafront, and Akti Olympion in particular, has already changed considerably following a series of interventions in recent months. Among the most visible is an extensive tree-planting programme carried out directly on the sand at various points along the coast.
On the eastern side of Akti Olympion, new small woodland areas have been created with dozens of trees, while hundreds of tamarisk trees have been planted along the full length of the beach, which in the coming years will provide natural shade for swimmers and visitors. A similar approach has been taken along Aktaia Avenue, where pine trees have also been planted and are already beginning to grow, adding greenery to the area.
In total, the municipality has gradually planted more than 1,300 trees, with further large-scale planting planned wherever space is available along the seafront. Outdoor gym equipment has also been installed at two points along Akti Olympion.
Boat ramp and river works
At the far end of Akti Olympion, a new boat launch ramp is due to be completed in July, fulfilling a longstanding request from residents who own vessels. Extensive cleaning of the riverbed has been carried out at the same location, and trees have been planted there as well, creating a new green space alongside better-organised access restricted to those entitled to use it.
Daily monitoring of marine pollution continues, carried out by two vessels chartered by the municipality.
Beach sunbeds and umbrellas have also been upgraded and are now managed directly by the municipality, with the price remaining at €2.50.
