How an old knitting factory became a haven for children
GEORGE Halcoussis is a man who loves children. And so he should. He sees 100,000 of them every year.
The 37-year-old father of two had always wanted to open his own business, so, in 1998, he opened a Skate Park in Strovolos. “At the time, rollerblading was really in fashion, so when I used to see groups of kids skating around Nicosia I had the idea of organising somewhere they could all meet up together to skate. I brought in ramps and half-pipes and opened a cafeteria… the Skate Park was born.”
Halcoussis said he noticed that once the kids started coming in, their young brothers and sisters would be hanging around the place aimlessly.
“I then had the idea of catering for them too. In 2000, I expanded the Park, buying four small inflatables. They proved to be a huge success, even more than the rollerblading, which is too specialised for Cyprus.”
By 2002, the Extreme Park, as it is now known, was fully up and running, with a climbing wall, basketball hoop, trampoline, mini-soccer pitch, toddlers area, cinema and Playstation games.
“I had created the indoor section where the old knitting factory was previously located. It had been struggling for the past decade and had closed down earlier that year. It was originally a big yard with old warehouses, which we totally rebuilt over a period of eight months.”
Halcoussis said “We make sure that every child gets an opportunity to try out every toy and activity and have supervisors who look after the safety of the children. Parents are also very welcome to stay and watch over their kids. We pride ourselves on our safety, cleanliness and customer service.”
He went on to say that the Park’s success is down to the fact that “children prefer us as they have so much fun here.
“You can go to a Luna Park and easily spend £20 in one hour, but here, the entrance fee is £3.50 and kids can play for as long as they like. It’s amazing how long children and their parents stay here for. If they leave after an hour, I always ask myself, what’s wrong?”
The park is open between 5pm-11pm in the summer and between 11am-9pm at weekends. It is open 345 days a year.
l Extreme Park. Tel: 22 424681. www.extremepark.com.cy
Seven Questions
What car do you drive?
A silver Subaru Legacy
Describe your perfect weekend
Being on the beach with my kids and my windsurfing board
Assuming you believe in reincarnation, who or what would you come back as?
Myself
What is your greatest fear?
A child being injured at the park
What is your earliest memory?
My family’s beach house in Kyrenia
What did you have for breakfast?
Cornflakes and a ham and cheese sandwich
What was the last item of clothing you bought?
A pair of green O’Neill combat trousers
