Exarchia is a neighborhood at the centre of Athens, close to the historical building of the National Technical University of Athens. It’s a famous region, as many intellectuals and artists used to live in the neighborhood and many leftist, anarchist and antifascist grassroots are located there. As in the majority of Athens downtown neighborhoods, there is a major need of free green open spaces. In 2008, in Exarchia a 15 years’ old boy was assassinated by the police (Alexandros Grigoropoulos). Major rebels erupted in Exarchia, as well as across Athens and other Greek big cities. For more than a month, apart from demonstrations, various occupation actions took place.
Between Harilaou Trikoupi, Navarinou, Zoodochou Pigis and Didotou Streets there is a block that in 2009 was squatted and turned into a free space, self-managed park. In 1907 a clinic was built there, known as “Geroulaneion Institute” and later as “Smparouni Clinic”. In 1972, the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) bought the building, as the clinic was closed. The building was demolished during the '80s and TEE planned to build a new building for hosting its central offices, although the building was never constructed. In the '90s, TEE proposed to grant the block to the Municipality of Athens for creating a green space. TEE asks as reimbursement to get the permission to increase the building factor in another block it owns in Maroussi (North Athens). Although, this exchange was never realized and TEE leased the block to be used as an outdoor parking. Once the contract was ended in 2008, TEE expressed again its intention to build the block for hosting its offices.
At that time, residents from the neighborhood, as well as other people from all over Athens, took the initiative to reclaim the block as a free green space. The Exarchia Residents Initiative, along with many other grassroots, was aware of the issue and worked for it the last 1,5 year. It was then when, in cooperation with the group "We, here and now for all of us", the “Self-managed Navarinou and Zoodochou Pigis park” (or “parking park”) was born, on 7th of March 2009. That day tens of people from all around Athens occupied the block, converting it into a green free space.
At that time, a joint decision of TEE and the Municipality of Athens included the exchange of that block with Alexandras Avenue’s venue refugees’ apartment buildings. The authority responsible for validating this decision was the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Public Works. However, this exchange never happened.
From the beginning of the project, an open assembly for the park's function was created and all the decisions were made collectively. The cement was broken, soil was transferred and trees and flowers were planted. Most of the plants were offered by the people. A playground was constructed as well as an open air amphitheater, where several cultural activities, public debates as well as films’ projections and children activities are hosted. In November 2012, an urban vegetable garden was created, where educational workshops on the cultivation of land are provided.
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