The Project Studies for the full construction of the "Upgrading of the National Nautical Center of Chania - Nea Chora Swimming Pool" budget of 7.52 million euros, financed by the National Development Program (the entire study HERE)!
The Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports, Lefteris Avgenakis, spoke about the "a new era for the Swimming Pool, as upon completion of the reconstruction, the Facility will be enviable at an international level! Modern style in all its infrastructure, with the most modern materials, with an energy footprint».
The National Nautical Sports Center of Chania, part of the National Sports Center of Chania, but also of the history of Greek aquatics with the continuous "production" of Olympic champions and Champions by the Chania Nautical Club, was completed in 1991 and since then it has not undergone any upgrade work, with the exception of some maintenance during the period of Kyriakos Virvidakis.
Its disrepair is coming to an end, following the collaboration with the Crete Development Organization, which completed all the necessary studies (Topographical - Architectural, Static, Electromechanical, Energy Upgrade) within 9 months.), in order to immediately begin the vital modernization of the facility.
«We joined forces so that all necessary actions can be quickly captured and we are here to present the result and immediately start the next procedures of the Repair and Upgrade Studies of the Swimming Pool in Nea Chora, an emblematic facility for the city, for the prefecture, for our island, for all of Greece, which while it should be treated "as the apple of our eye", has been increasingly abandoned in recent years.» Mr. Avgenakis pointed out and added:
«During these 3 years at the Deputy Ministry, it has been and is our daily concern to breathe life back into our sports facilities. To revitalize the Olympic ones, to upgrade the sports infrastructures throughout the country to safe and modern ones. And today is the day and the turn of the Nea Chora Swimming Pool to enter its new era.
Because we do what we say!
How much more so when this was also a personal commitment of the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. A valuable ally, he constantly had a personal insight into the problem, was regularly informed, was anxious about its development and provided solutions so that we could reach tonight the announcement of the complete upgrade of the Nautical Sports Center».
In summary, the new era of the Swimming Pool in Nea Chora includes:
- Complete renovation of the facility and surrounding area,
- accessibility for people with disabilities,
- aesthetic upgrade of the building and stands,
- shelters everywhere,
- areas for promotion, information and sponsorship,
- closed journalistic galleries,
- modern changing rooms,
- spaces for the companions of the athletes,
- functional renovation of the Rowing, Sailing and Lifeguard Club buildings,
- central safety control of swimming pools,
- interconnection of the Gym with part of the basement, where recovery facilities are created
- replacement of the operational equipment of the three swimming pools!
The Deputy Minister of Sports clarified that ""It is understandable that the projects will be implemented in two phases, so as to ensure, as much as possible, the operation and activities of the Nautical Sports Center. Everything will be done with the necessary planning so that activities are not suspended." and emphasized that:
«The 1st phase will include the shell of the building facilities, with the construction work of the metal canopies of the indoor swimming pools and the canopies of the stands, with a partial budget of €1,317,112.72. In this phase, only the use of the Stands and the operation of the 25 and 12.5 meter swimming pools will be suspended, and the 50 meter pool will operate.
The 2or Phase 1, with a sub-budget of €6,202,887.28, will be implemented in two stages:
- In the first stage, the complex of the 25 and 12.5 meter indoor swimming pools with the east wing of the two-story changing rooms will be completed. While work is being carried out in this section, the 50-meter swimming pool and the changing rooms of the central building, north of the swimming pool, will be in operation.
- In the second stage, after the fully renovated complex of the 25 and 12.5 meter indoor swimming pools with the east wing of the two-story changing rooms is put into use, the use of the remaining part of the complex will be suspended for the completion of the building works, the necessary mechanical equipment as well as the energy upgrade equipment.».
The Project was presented in detail by the CEO of OAK, Aris Papadogiannis, and the lead coordinator of the Designers, Architect - Engineer, Giorgis Petrakis.
Its importance for the local community and the overall sports family and Greek sports was welcomed, thanking Mr. Avgenakis and the Government, by Deputy Governor Nikos Kalogeris, the Mayor of Chania, Panagiotis Simandirakis, the President of the Chamber of Chania (and of Chania FC) Antonis Rokakis, the President of the Chania Sports Association, Takis Svourakis and the President of the NOX, Dimitris Leipsakis.
Furthermore, the presence of 92-year-old Takis Chouliopoulos, the living history of Chania's aquatics and, more generally, of sports in the prefecture of Chania, was moving.
The full speech of the Deputy Minister of Sports:
«I am very happy that we are here today, in beautiful Chania, after a journey of many months with intensive, daily work.
Tonight we will all become - the sports family, local government, organizations and local society - aware of and receptive to a program that, allow me to say, will finally raise - as it deserves - the long-suffering Chania Nautical Sports Center to many levels, and its new era will begin.
Nine months ago, on August 24, 2021, the Programmatic Agreement was signed between the Deputy Ministry of Sports, the Development Organization of Crete (OAK) and the Chania Nautical Club (NOX), with the subject matter of the "Technical Consulting Services for the Preparation of the Repair and Upgrade of the National Nautical Center of Chania", with a budget of €248,000. It consisted of four individual studies:
- Topographical – Architectural
- Static
- Electromechanical
- Energy upgrade
We joined forces so that all necessary actions can be quickly captured and we are here to present the result and immediately start the next procedures of the Repair and Upgrade Studies of the Swimming Pool in Nea Chora, which were successfully and quickly assigned to the OAK and completed.
An emblematic installation for the city, for the prefecture, for our island, for all of Greece, which, while it should be treated "as the apple of our eye", has been increasingly abandoned in recent years.
The story is well-known in the local community: The National Nautical Sports Center of Chania first opened in 1964 and has existed in its current form since 1991, for 31 years.
Since it was completed, with the 3 swimming pools, the building and the boathouse, absolutely no upgrade work has been done, with the exception of a few small projects during the period of Kyriakos Virvidakis.
Over the decades, two things remained the same:
- the voices protesting against the projects, as the proximity to the sea and the lack of maintenance resulted in the degeneration of the facilities and their extensive deterioration
- and the big words they received in response. Empty promises and pompous announcements, without even having permits for the facilities!
A mockery, despite the immense tradition of Chania in producing top swimming and water polo champions, with participation in European and World championships, as well as in the Olympic Games:
Who should you remember first and not do anyone an injustice?
Tonia and Elias Macheiras?
Karavanos, Vlontakis, Voltyrakis, Mylonakis, Voulgarakis, Vyzirakis?
To get to those in power, Skoumbakis, Galanidis, Dountounaki, Papastamos, Tsapatakis.
During these 3 years at the Deputy Ministry, it has been and is our daily concern to breathe life back into our sports facilities.
Let's revitalize the Olympics, upgrade the sports infrastructure throughout the country to safe and modern. And today is the day and the turn of the Nea Chora Swimming Pool to enter its new era.
Because we do what we say!
How much more so when this was also a personal commitment of the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. A valuable ally, he constantly had a personal insight into the problem, was regularly informed, was anxious about its development and provided solutions so that we could reach tonight the announcement of the complete upgrade of the Nautical Sports Center.
We had to regulate in Parliament (Law 4903/2022) the change of the building conditions to low coefficients (0.6), paving the way for the reconstruction, with a modern and safe shelter. If special building conditions had not been provided for, due to the particularities of the area, then the repair and upgrade of the sports facility would not have been possible.
At this point, I would like to warmly thank the administration of the National Sports Center of Chania, which, after its change, led by President Panagiotis Svourakis, made a "sprint" to be completely formal in its obligations and maintain the facilities at the best possible level.
A big thank you to the Crete Development Organization, Aris Papadogiannis and all the executives for the immediate response and effective implementation of the Studies.
Of course, to the Chania Nautical Club, to its President, Dimitris Leipsakis and the rest of the administration for the productive cooperation. And I am certain that the Chania Nautical Club, this sports hive of the place with its enormous 89-year legacy in nautical sports, as well as the entire Greek aquatics, will benefit greatly from what will be presented in detail shortly by the experts.
In summary, I will only say that upon completion of the reconstruction, the Facility will be enviable on an international level! Modern style in all its infrastructure, with the most modern materials, with an energy footprint!
In summary, the new era of the Swimming Pool in Nea Chora will include:
- Complete renovation of the facility and surrounding area,
- accessibility for people with disabilities,
- aesthetic upgrade of the building and stands,
- shelters everywhere,
- areas for promotion, information and sponsorship,
- closed journalistic galleries,
- modern changing rooms,
- spaces for the companions of the athletes,
- functional renovation of the Rowing, Sailing and Lifeguard Club buildings,
- central safety control of swimming pools,
- interconnection of the Gym with part of the basement, where recovery facilities are created
- and of course complete replacement of the functional equipment of the swimming pools!
Projects with a total budget of 7.52 million euros!
It is understandable that the projects will be implemented in two phases, so as to ensure, as much as possible, the operation and activities of the Nautical Sports Center. Everything will be done with the necessary planning so as not to suspend activities:
- The 1st phase will include the shell of the building facilities, with the construction work of the metal canopies of the indoor swimming pools and the canopies of the stands, with a partial budget of €1,317,112.72.
During this phase, the use of the Grandstands and the operation of the 25 and 12.5 meter swimming pools will be suspended.
- The 2or Phase 1, with a sub-budget of €6,202,887.28, will be implemented in two stages:
- In the first stage, the complex of 25 and 12.5 meter indoor swimming pools with the east wing of the two-story changing rooms will be completed.
While work is being carried out in this section, the 50-person swimming pool and the changing rooms of the main building, north of the swimming pool, will be open.
- In the second stage, after the fully renovated complex of the 25 and 12.5 meter indoor swimming pools with the east wing of the two-story changing rooms is put into use, the use of the remaining part of the complex will be suspended for the completion of the building works, the necessary mechanical equipment, as well as the energy upgrade equipment.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We are irrevocably putting an end to the abandonment of a facility that has given Greek sports much more than it has received. Its New Era begins today!
We will give the sports family and the society of Chania a complex of nautical sports activities that the whole country will be proud of."
THE APPOINTMENT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CHANIA
Honorable Minister,
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
It is a historic afternoon for Chania. After several years of waiting, the time has come to present the comprehensive plans and programming for the holistic upgrade of our National Nautical Center.
For the New Era of… the new swimming pool of Nea Chora!
For the New Era of sports in the city, in our prefecture!
The intervention that will be carried out at the facility will be such that it will not resemble anything we have seen and experienced to date, with the sad image that the swimming pool presents, while in its pools the records and distinctions of Chania's athletes succeed one another.
The political will and persistence of our Deputy Minister of Sports, Lefteris Avgenakis, on the one hand,
and the experience and ability of the Crete Development Organization, on the other hand, compose and guarantee a perfect result from all aspects.
And we look forward to presenting it soon to the Chania sports fans, to the local community.
The reconstruction of the Nea Chora swimming pool, which was a primary concern of Mr. Avgenakis and the Government, is the springboard for other important projects that are underway and will continue in our Chania.
As the administration of the National Center of Chania, the Deputy Minister has not stopped for a minute urging us and motivating us to improve and upgrade each of our facilities... yesterday!
Work on the electric lighting of the National Stadium is already underway, the warm-up area will be finalized in the coming days, as will the changes to the locker room areas, as well as interventions in the outdoor areas, the increasingly improved image of the National Shooting Range, which was characterized as the best in Greece, and so much more.
I won't bore you.
As the administration of the Chania Sports and Recreation Association, we feel the obligation, we are in every mood and we declare that we will continue to strive for the best for our children and the sports community of Chania.
We thank the sports leadership for their trust and we are supportive of every effort made, not only for the development of sports infrastructure, but in every initiative that enhances and strengthens the role and influence of sports in society.
Active in every action of the sports code of values, most recently the collection of food for humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine, in collaboration with the Hellenic Red Cross.
It is time, however, to swim in the vision: in our new Nautical Sports Center, for which we are here today.
Thank you very much!