The site at Lefkada
The Lefkada site offers the Ikarian community a much-wanted social and cultural venue, anchored by the Wings and themed with environmental sustainability. Located on the coast road 4 km west of the island’s principal city of Agios Kyrikos, the site features an extensive flat area and event seating for 500 people. Its amphitheater was constructed for flame-passing ceremonies of a marathon run, but has been sitting abandoned and deteriorating for several years. The community has expressed strong interest in reclaiming the site for cultural and social activities, including concerts, theater, and a Sunday farmers’ market. The amphitheater area, located below the road level, will be the primary area for viewing the Wings. In turn, the Wings will provide electricity for the various events to be held there.
Developing and maintaining a site of this size presents a challenge, and we are working to organize an ongoing commitment to the EcoPark concept by the community and municipality. It is expected that some funding for maintenance will be generated by surplus electricity from the Wings.
A schematic for potential site development is below:
Photos of the Lefkada site
The site selection process
The project visit to Ikaria in April 2023 was focused on site selection. Criteria included visibility, benefit to the community, and technical considerations. The original vision placed the Wings in a highly visible location above the city of Agios Kyrikos, but an appropriate location has remained elusive. Another potential site, one km east of Agios Kyrikos on the road to Therma, was mired in issues of multiple ownership. The Lefkada site, while primarily visible from the amphitheater below the coast road, is owned by the municipality and actually available. It has generated the most interest from the community, which is definitely feeling the shortage of available public space for cultural and social activities.
