Bridge of dreams

28 November 2011 / 23:11:44 GRReporter

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Anastasia Balezdrova

Two weeks ago, an overpass, "The overpass of dreams" was opened on one of the most noisy and busy avenues in Athens. For the students at Psychico College, this is the overpass of Solon - a 15-year-old kid whose life was taken by a speeding car, jumping the red light. Four days later, the child died in hospital and his parents donated his organs to save other children.

Several days later, engineer Phaedon Karidakis, as Solon's father is known, attended the first meeting for the construction of an overpass on the avenue in front of the school to prevent having victims. Here is his story to GRReporter.

"Just two years ago, on December 4, the school had organized a Christmas celebration. My son, along with other classmates of his left late in the evening, at about 11 pm, to go to the party. In their attempt to cross the avenue to the school, a car dragged one of the four friends and left him. He was immediately transported to hospital and lived four more days on mechanical support. During those days, all the pupils from the school held a protest in the form of a "white" strike. They went to school but did not attend the classes. After Solon had gone, the school administration influenced, among other things by what had happened, but apart from that, decided to build a pedestrian overpass. On 11 December, 2009, all children organized and supported by the administration of the school, "took over" Kifissias Avenue for about an hour. They were holding slogans in their hands, demonstrating their right to life. There was a very smart panel reading, "Place a bridge for our dreams."

The president of the Foundation, running the College, called me immediately to take part in the design of the overpass. When I got into the project, they had already found a sponsor, Mr. Prokopiou. His daughter was also studying at the College and all the organization moved him. We began working immediately. I remember that the protest of the children on the avenue was on Friday, December 11, and on Monday, December 14, we held the first meeting to design the overpass. So, we began - a group of people ready to start a project, and a major sponsor. In the course of the project, we had many offers of assistance. In very few cases, the work was not entirely voluntary. Even the materials were very often donated.

Within one year, we were faced with a lot of problems. I would like to stress that we were not confronted with anyone opposing the construction at any time. The problem was in the vast bureaucracy, mostly due to the lack of a legal framework for a public project located in a public place but designed, built, financed and maintained by private owners. We lost almost a year to eliminate this obstacle and due to all the bureaucratic procedures. In practice, there has been new legislation in the form of presidential decrees.

Last year at this time, we were ready to start. Then again, we lost about five months, because it is a very central place and many networks are there: sanitation, electrification, communications, fiber optics, mobile operators, natural gas. Although we tried to have minimum contact with the surface to minimize this problem in the original plan, we lost this time. In practice, we started the construction in late March 2011. Some parts were made before that elsewhere and we were able to build the overpass in a very short period of time. We finished the site on 11 November, 2011 and organized a modest ceremony, and before the official opening, the overpass was submitted to the students themselves. They went through the overpass and thus, we submitted it to them. Earlier, we had several meetings in which we informed them of the reason of the initiative and we have seen the love and tenderness with which they took the site.

It is a touching common enterprise. Indeed, some of us were ahead, but the important thing is that everyone engaged in its implementation with much affection. We have made that overpass which is an innovation at international level. It is not only an achievement and a landmark in the area; it is a monument of love and cooperation, and of the memory of a child who passed away.