News and Views Olympic Rowing Centre opens to public


On 13 June, the Olym- pic Rowing and Canoe- ing Centre in Schinias opened to the public. Rowing and canoe/kayak athletes and trainers are


available at the centre to provide children with a glimpse into these ex- treme sports. There are plans to establish rele- vant sport academies on


the premises. The Cen- tre is located in North- Eastern Attica and is part of the Schinias-Marathon National Park. All visitors have the opportunity to use its facilities for mild exercise and recreation, and also to visit one of the most important bio- topes in the wider Athens area, home to important rare birds. From 13 June the facility will be open from 21:30 until the end of September, but will then switch to a shorter schedule. For more infor- mation visit ,http://www. itia.ntua.gr/greenmara- thon/eng_index.html.


Greek Beach by the Thames


From the 18 to 27 June more than 350,000 people visited the Greek Beach by the Thames at the South Bank. Visitors had the opportunity to relax on the sun beds, taste deli- cious Greek dishes and beverages and enter competitions for holidays to Greece. The event will probably be repeated next year.


The First Greek Dolphinarium


On 15 June at the Attica Zoological Park in Spata, the first Greek Dolphinarium was opened. Home to four dolphins from Lithuania and two sea lions from Spain; visitors have the opportunity to watch these highly intelligent mammals interact with each other. The public are also able to take advantage of the animals’ diverse benefits, which include the therapeu- tic effect they have on autistic children.


The Dolphinarium collaborates with the Dutch company Savewave, who specialize in finding ecologically viable solutions for the aquatic environment – for example design- ing special apparatus attached to fishing


A new Athens by 2014


On 14 June, the project ‘Athens-Attica 2014’ was announced by Environment Minister Tina Birbili. The project is a four year programme designed to improve the structural and environmental area of Athens. Projects include; the extensive pedes- trianisation of central Athens, the formation of green areas, as well as structural facelifts for derelict buildings. The ministry plans to hold competitions to find ac- complished young architects to become part of the project. They will be assigned to a series of mini projects including for example, the creation of two bicycle lanes, one of which will link the northern suburb of Kifissia to Neo Faliro in the south. Over the next four years the aim of the project will be to upgrade the capital and the surrounding suburbs with the goal of carrying Athens into the 21st century.


nets for the safety of dolphins. For more information visit http://www.atticapark. com, or telephone +30 210 6634 724.


IN BRIEF... has died S


tage director / actor Andreas Voutsinas


In Athens, on 8 June, stage director and actor Andreas Voutsinas died at the age of 77. With a career spanning 50 years, Andreas Voutsi- nas directed 130 stage pro- ductions in London, New York, Paris and Greece. As an actor, he estab- lished himself in musicals including, ‘The Producers’ and ‘The Big Blue’ but his fame soared when he later starred in three Mel Brooks Films.


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unciman Awards 2009


On 3 June at a special cer- emony held at London’s Hellenic Centre, Juliet Du Boulay’s book “Cos- mos, Life and Liturgy in a Greek Orthodox Village”, published in 2009 was presented with the Run- ciman Award for books.


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ndersea reservoir to gas storage


Aegean Energy has un- veiled plans to turn an empty undersea reservoir into Greece’s largest gas storage facility. The proj- ect worth €400mn involves pumping gas at the com- pany’s facilities in Kavala, northern Greece down a 36km undersea pipeline into a natural gas reserve.


JUNE 2010, ISSUE 134, Page 4


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