Newsroom
A concrete bench placed in the middle of a sidewalk designed to guide visually impaired pedestrians has provoked a mix of outrage, amusement, and online debate about the city’s maintenance.
Marios Kyriazis, a Larnaca local, shared photos on Facebook, questioning whether it was the result of careless municipal work or a prank. “It’s hard for me to believe that the contractors placed the bench there, right in the middle of the tactile paving for the blind, without thinking about it,” Kyriazis wrote. Tactile paving refers to the textured surface installed on sidewalks to help visually impaired people navigate safely. He later suggested leaving it in place as “another location where people go to take souvenir photos with the strange sights of Larnaca.”
Comments on the post reflected frustration with broader city management. Maria Alexandrou described the situation as “international embarrassment” and highlighted issues including potholes, dirty trash bins, and uneven sidewalks. Michalis Michaelides criticized the mayor’s attention to the city, claiming he “only goes to events and taverns in the outskirts to eat.”
Other commenters suggested that the bench may have been moved intentionally by local residents or shop owners. Charis Karagiannis wrote that benches and flowerpots are often relocated by business owners to park in front of their shops.
Several users discussed ways to report or address urban problems. Melanthi Nicolaou suggested using a page or group to notify the municipality, while Rodothea Chatzilouka recommended the platform FixCyprus.
Despite the criticism, some users reacted with humor. Richard Lippman recounted a story from Italy about moving a heavy concrete bench, while Andreas Hadjikyriacou asked if anyone actually used the bench. Kyriazis replied that a tourist once tried but was scorched by the heat.
