Mediterranean town of Fethiye in 2010

There are major projects on the horizon for the Mediterranean town of Fethiye in 2010, with some getting the green light after years in the making. Despite this, some people are concerned the changes offer little optimism for the community’s small, family-run businesses and could be detrimental to the environment

Home to around 70,000 residents and serving communities in surrounding areas, the Mediterranean resort town of Fethiye has seen rapid changes in the last decade. Home to around 70,000 residents, the Mediterranean resort town of Fethiye has seen rapid changes in the last decade – changes that look set to continue, according to the deputy mayor.

Deputy Mayor Yılmaz Cesur told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review that this “wave of change” would continue, as 2010 marks the beginning of major works projects. “This is a big year for Fethiye. We are taking serious steps to improve the appearance of our town and improve local amenities while stimulating the economy.”

Güzide Özkaya, a city planner, said the completion of the esplanade would see a “seamless” link between Fethiye’s town center and Calış, a nearby resort, which was completed this year. “The aim of this project is to capitalize on the area and provide a seamless pathway from Karagözler to Calış,” she said.

“We want to offer healthy lifestyle options for the community with opportunities to walk, jog or cycle. There will be aspects of nature, park benches, exercise equipment, kiosks and restaurants to keep people entertained. This project will put us up there with the larger coastal towns, most of which don’t have anything similar,” she said.

There are also plans for a cruise ship port and a separate extension to the Ece Marina, which currently attracts an estimated 25,000 tourists a year. “The cruise ship port is something we’ve been pushing for for years so we hope this year it will finally be up and running. This project will bring a huge economic benefit to Fethiye with incoming tourists and business for the town,” Cesur said.

Not everyone sees changes as positive

The council members’ enthusiasm is not shared by all the town’s residents. Some see the plans as environmentally catastrophic and believe there is little likelihood of smaller shops and businesses benefiting economically from the cruise ships.

Ali İhsan Emre, a naturalist and a walking guide, is angered by the development that he sees as contributing to the destruction of important areas for birds and wildlife. “The surviving areas of reed bed and salt marshes are a fraction of what they were 20 or even 10 years ago,” he said.

“So much of our natural landscape has been sacrificed to landfills and inappropriate development. Fethiye has at least 220 different species of birds visiting annually; it is an important resting place for weary migrating birds. With the destruction of the remaining wetlands we risk losing them,” Emre said.

Marine biologist Meryem Tekin is concerned the coastal path will have a negative impact on the symbiotic relationship between land and sea. “The reed beds acted as a natural filter for the water coming off the mountains,” she said. “Without them and the soil or sea interaction, the quality of the water in the Gulf of Fethiye could deteriorate rapidly. The result will be smelly, dead coastal margins with many unpleasant consequences.”

Tekin said increased sea traffic and bigger boats would also have a disastrous effect on marine life. “We already lose too many turtles to injuries from propellers and the like,” she said. “Surely these things should be taken into account before plans like this are approved?”

The council plans on converting a large produce depot next to Fethiye’s bus station into a major shopping complex – similar to those found in Ankara or Istanbul. The design, which is currently under review, consists of ideas for various fashion and department stores, cafes, a possible cinema, bowling alley and communal outdoor areas.

Özkaya said the shopping center would function as a “town center” or “meeting point” not currently found in Fethiye. “When the produce depot was originally built, it was on the outskirts of Fethiye but the town has expanded,” she said. “We believe this space can now be better utilized by having an active and bustling shopping center.”

Shopping in Fethiye is scattered across the town center, consisting of the old shopping district Paspatur, the historic Fish Market with surrounding shops and restaurants, weekly open-air markets and small department stores.

For some, a large shopping complex threatens business and “authentic Fethiye shopping.” Hüseyin Metiner has been the local butcher at Fethiye’s daily market for 28 years. “You can buy your fish, meat and vegetables from the locals and have some tea and a chat in a relaxed environment. You know that what you’re purchasing here goes directly into the local economy and not to Istanbul companies or even abroad, like the large supermarket chains that are springing up here like mushrooms.”

The butcher further decried the appearance of big supermarket chains. “Every time a supermarket opens, several families lose their livelihood. It’s just not sustainable in a place like Fethiye where most of the businesses are family owned.” Mete Çakmak, owner of a linen store across the road from the fish market, is slightly more optimistic about the larger companies moving to Fethiye.

“I estimate I will lose about 20 per cent of my business if a large shopping complex opens. However, this depends on how successful it is. The small council mall across the road that opened not too long ago is virtually empty. Why? Because the rent prices are so high,” he said.

“I think if the council is seriously thinking about stimulating the economy here, they need to bring down the rent and look at attracting brand names that will bring in Fethiye’s youth.” Özkaya said the new shopping complex would not take business from the smaller, more specialized stores.

“Let me put it this way, I wear a different dress depending on the day of the week and where I am going. Where you choose to shop is also like this.” “The council has previously and will continue to maintain the Paspatur and the Fish Market as tourist attractions,” she said.

End to traffic chaos? For nearly a month, Fethiye drivers have been inconvenienced by two major intersections currently under construction.

“One day there was a roundabout, the next day it disappeared. Now we have to drive through an intersection without any operating lights or roundabout to manage the oncoming traffic. It is ridiculous,” said one exasperated driver.

According to one source, there are around 80,000 vehicles using Fethiye’s roads – more than the town’s population. Moreover, traffic is notoriously busy on market days when people flock to the town.

Güzide Özkaya said the municipal assembly is aware of concerns about transport levels and the need for better traffic management. She said current roadwork on the two main intersections is a result of a series of recommendations resulting from a study by Istanbul municipality’s traffic research company, or İSBAK.

“There have been thorough investigations on how traffic could be better managed here,” said Özkaya. “The study concluded Fethiye does not have a significant problem but that traffic flow could be improved with intersection points and the synchronization of the traffic lights.” Authorities expect to complete the two intersections before the tourism season begins. Hurriyet Daily News

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Category: Local