Only two and a half months have passed since we took over the management of the Chania National Sports Facilities. The challenges and problems we encountered were many, but within a very short period of time we recorded the problems and today we present to you our annual plan and programming, having as our main guideline the most orderly and safest operation of the National Sports Facilities of Chania.
We considered it appropriate and necessary to hold today's press conference at the beginning of our term because we consider it our obligation to let every citizen of Chania know our intentions and our substantial interventions in the facilities where our children, but also people of all ages, play sports.
As you know, the administrative duties of the Chania Sports and Recreation Center concern the National Shooting Range, the National Stadium and the Chania Naval Sports Center. The major issue we face in all the facilities – and perhaps the most important for their operation – is the lack of staff. I will only mention very specifically that the last technician of the Naval Sports Center is on a one-year leave and will retire as soon as he returns! For this reason, we are in discussions and searching for a facilities maintainer, or in hiring additional staff from the General Secretariat of Sports.
However, beyond the issue of personnel, I would like to refer to the planning and interventions that have already been launched for the current year, and more specifically:
For the National Shooting Range of Chania:
- Placing -at least- one more person in the Shooting Range facilities. Currently, the Shooting Range, due to understaffing, operates only Monday-Wednesday-Friday after 17:30 (where in winter, due to darkness, outdoor training becomes impossible) and on Saturday and Sunday from 08:00 to 14:00.
- Small-scale interventions have been planned in the building infrastructures that have been years in need of maintenance and which have already been recorded.
- Waterproofing in the underground facilities of the clay target.
- Supply of necessary mechanical equipment
- Maintenance and repairs to the wooden surfaces of the three clay target stands.
For the National Stadium of Chania:
- Replacement and energy upgrade of the pylons which in several places have suffered severe corrosion.
- Building interventions and immediate restoration of the Weightlifting gyms.
(For the two aforementioned works, I would like to inform you that they have already been included in the Public Investment Program and as I have been informed, the Tender Documents will be issued in March)
- We are proceeding with the construction of a warm-up area for track and field and for classical sports in general. We are awaiting the technical study from the General Secretariat of Sports. As soon as we receive it, construction will begin immediately through a programmatic contract that we will have concluded with the Regional Unit of Chania - the relevant discussions have already taken place at the level of SEGAS, the EAK administration committee and the Regional Unit of Chania-.
- Supply, to replace, a new pole vault mat which is in very poor condition.
- Supply of new photo finish for classic sports.
- Supply of a new indoor gym scoreboard (use in basketball, volleyball, etc.)
- Insulation of the ceilings, changing rooms, toilets and the Stadium canteen.
- Creation of four (4) toilets plus one (1) for disabled people.
- Building and metal repairs on Korai Street.
For the Nautical Sports Center:
The following have already been done or are in the works:
- Removal, removal and replacement of pylons due to severe corrosion which even led to the collapse of parts including the lightning rod. (The total cost of removal and replacement of pylons and lightning rod amounted to €18,500)
- Replacement of old energy-intensive headlights with new technology LED lamps that ensure 85% economy and upgrade the quality of brightness (Cost €10,575)
- Transfer of the scoreboard from the National Stadium of Chania for the needs of the Nautical Sports Center.
- Supply of a Laptop for secretarial support needs.
- Supply of oil for the needs of the swimming pool amounting to €67,865.
- Waterproofing works on the ceilings of the changing rooms.
- Repairs and maintenance to the stand wall.
- Small-scale technical study in collaboration with the Municipality of Chania for the overflow of a 50m swimming pool so that the water ends up in the stormwater wells.
The relevant study and recording have been carried out, costed and planned and will be completed within the year:
- Replacement of necessary operational equipment (filters - piping installations, other components) amounting to €58,280
- Supply of necessary swimming equipment (starting platforms, touch pads, timers, etc.) amounting to €71,425
- Supply of specialized fitness equipment amounting to €20,160
- Replacement of boilers and burners for the 12m and 25m swimming pools €20,460
At this point, I would like to emphasize that for all the aforementioned - immediate and short-term - requirements of all the facilities of the Chania Sports Complex, detailed documents have been sent to the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the General Secretariat of Sports.
Finally, I would like to refer to an issue that has arisen in recent days and is of concern to the sports community of Chania.
We were sadly informed, unfortunately through publications and not from the athlete's environment, that Apostolos Papastamos was forced to leave Chania, Crete, and continue his preparation in Athens, as the Chania swimming pool is under-functioning, with the heater not fully operational.
Besides the obvious fact that no information or protest document was sent to us, we were informed about the reason and intention of his transfer by the athlete's environment through the news media.
To restore the truth, I would like to clarify the following:
- The temperature of the swimming pools is controlled by an electronic panel in the boiler room and by a hand-held thermometer that we jointly decided with the management of the N.O.C. and purchased in order to have common measurement values. The control and measurement are carried out daily by permanent staff of the facilities.
- The temperature of the swimming pools is above 26the Celsius, which is the international limit for training and competitions, the temperature in the 12m and 25m pools where younger children play is already elevated.
- Also, a member of the administration of the Chania Public Health Service, the superintendent, Mr. Emmanuel Bouzakis, visits the facilities daily and at various times of the day to ensure their proper operation.
Reports from the athlete's environment of temperatures below 24of points, they can only be inappropriate and excessive, as otherwise there would be complaints from the sections as well as from athletes, especially younger ones. As I mentioned before, our first priority is the safety of the athletes, let alone children.
Regarding the shutdown and non-operation of the burner, I would like to clarify that the burner is only shut down upon request by the departments. In this specific case alone, it is reasonable to require a longer period of time, which also depends on the general weather conditions, for the pool to return to the aforementioned temperatures.
Nevertheless, we wish our champion good training and we will be by his side, supporting him in his effort to continue to make our Chania proud.
Rest assured that we are trying with all our might to upgrade the sports facilities of Chania, contributing as much as we can to ensuring that all athletes have the safest and highest quality level of sports facilities possible.
Emmanuel Kouridakis
President of the Chania Regional Council
Watch the Press Conference HERE:
