In Pallinia, a new kindergarten is being dismantled to rebuild: the bill for residents will exceed €200 thousand.

In the municipality of Pallinia, a new kindergarten, built several years ago and never accepting children, has to be virtually rebuilt from scratch. The work affects sanitary facilities, kitchens, doors, windows and other elements of the building. Their cost, according to the mayor’s office, will exceed €200 thousand.

We are talking about a municipal nursery in the Gerakas region. The building was completed and handed over to the municipality in July 2021, but never began operation: the facility was unable to obtain the necessary license because it did not comply with current regulations for preschool educational institutions.

As explained by the mayor of Pallinia Christos Aidonisthe problem arose at the design and construction stage. The tender was held in 2018, but the project was based on the requirements of 2012, although new technical standards had already been in force since 2017.

In the municipality of Pallinia, a new kindergarten, closed since 2021 due to licensing problems, has to be virtually rebuilt. The cost of the work will exceed €200 thousand. pic.twitter.com/SlvjcjyJxC

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As a result, the city received a new facility that could not be opened without major restructuring. The mayor said crews are currently on site removing and rebuilding bathrooms, kitchen areas, doors and windows to bring the building into compliance with licensing regulations.

“We are faced with a unique but extremely unpleasant situation: there is another building with the same problems,” Aidonis stated. According to him, the municipality tried to include the necessary work in the financing program, but this option was canceled, and the costs fell on the municipal budget.

The final cost of the interventions is expected to exceed €200 thousand Previously, the mayor’s office gave higher estimates of possible costs, but current work should finally allow the garden to be opened by the new school year.

Once the renovations are complete, Aidonis said the facility should be fully licensed and ready to welcome Pallinia children and families from September.

Editorial comment

This is not a renovation story. This is a story about how a government facility can be built, commissioned, paid for, and yet forget to check whether it can be used at all. The kindergarten was not damaged by an earthquake, fire or natural disaster. It turned out to be unsuitable even before the first child, because during its construction they applied standards that were no longer in effect.

As a result, residents receive the familiar Greek formula: first the budget pays for construction, then the facility remains closed for years, and then the budget pays for its renovation. Moreover, for the second time it is no longer called a mistake, but “necessary work.”

The most unpleasant thing here is not the amount of €200 thousand. She’s unpleasant, but predictable. What’s worse is that no one explained why the project was not stopped in 2018, when the new requirements were already in effect, and why the finished building was accepted in 2021 without immediately solving the problem. The children were promised kindergarten. We learned an expensive lesson in municipal government.

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