If Thessaloniki had its own Riviera, Kalamaria would be at its heart. Yet, Thessaloniki not only has a vastly underused seafront, aside from the central stretch from the port to the Megaron Mousikis, but the seaside area of Kalamaria exudes an air of neglect, decline, and devaluation. The recent intense confrontation between the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (TAIPED), which seeks to develop the marina area, and the Kalamaria municipality, which has opposed projects under both current and past administrations, even utilising AI-generated images to bolster its stance and pursuing legal action, is merely the surface. For decades, Kalamaria's situation has worsened, with the area's advantages and assets, those that could be showcased even on the municipality's main pedestrian street, remaining untapped. Responsibility is shared among many, since ownership of specific sites lies with various agencies. However, given the numerous delays and complications, local stakeholders also bear responsibility, as whispers suggest, since small private interests in Kalamaria wield significant influence.
The Kalamaria marina is indeed a symbolically significant project, yet it is not the only problematic area. For years, the regions on either side of the mooring points have been neglected and left abandoned. Near the sea, some fish taverns still operate. They are the sole beneficiaries of the ongoing pendulum regime. The coastal zone is completely overlooked, and the consequences are evident to any casual observer, both visually and olfactorily. The seaside stretch from Palataki to the sports facilities of Mikra, beyond which the boundaries of Pylea begin, can be easily described as third-world, if such a term holds any meaning. As for Palataki itself, which the Greek Parliament supposedly adopted, it faces two major issues: first, its maintenance, as the damage is considerable and clearly visible, transforming a once national treasure into a ruin. Second, no creative reuse has been planned or determined yet. Therefore, even if the Greek Parliament preserves it, the most probable outcome is that it will remain a lifeless space above Thessaloniki's sea. The same bleak fate of desertification is also apparent in the former clinic "Panagia," which continues to deteriorate each day.
Similarly, underutilisation approaching zero relative to its potential is evident at Kalamaria's beach and the Kodra camp. The beach has been transferred to the municipality, which has been attempting in recent years to open it to the public. However, due to the justified reluctance of many to swim within Thessaloniki's urban area and the limited capabilities of a public organisation, it remains a makeshift, undynamic facility resembling a provincial bathing beach from the 1960s. Regarding the Kodra camp, which has recently been branded a "green cape," it has long been designated for development and political purposes. Nonetheless, it remains under consultation to determine possible uses beyond serving as a truck parking lot, and residents report that stray dogs are spreading terror.
Until the 1990s, the seaside part of Kalamaria, known as Aretsou and Nea Kreni, was extremely popular with other Thessalonians and visitors to the city. However, over the last 25 years, it has declined, first because central Thessaloniki has "revived" and second because of stagnation in Kalamaria. It is clear that, over these years, the area has not benefited from effective local governance that (supposedly) represents the local community. Because such delays across so many fronts are unlikely to be coincidental. The conflict with TAIPED follows other disputes with TAIPED, the Public Properties Company (ETAD), and other involved bodies. Even if we assume that the various plans concerning the area were not the best possible (of course, there is a strong element of relativity in these matters), it is evident that the mentality of those representing the local community does not accept the idea that "a mediocre solution is better than no solution." This is self-evident in cases that have dragged on for decades. Today, Kalamaria is a cramped, densely populated area with many operational problems, attracting relatively few visitors. The metro, scheduled to open in the area in two or three months, may reverse this trend. However, the likely scenario, at least initially, is that it will bring more residents to the centre rather than attract others to Kalamaria. This is mainly because inertia has led to a decline, and the area has lost its charm.
P.S. What is happening in Kalamaria, where the municipality is in dispute with TAIPED over the marina area, can easily be linked to the state's efforts, through the Central Macedonia Region, to redevelop Thessaloniki's waterfront from Kalohori to Angelohori. Without a central government body to decide on the overall redevelopment plan, numerous obstacles from local officials in each area will arise. Thessaloniki, like the rest of Greece, pays a very high price for the fragmentation of local authorities. The main issue is the inability to make decisions, because, for example, some residents might believe that a project will deprive them of sea views and reduce their property values!
By Giorgos Mitrakis - adapted from Greek by Vassia Barba
