Imagina Badia

| Subject: International Relations

Presentation of the European urban transformation project based on participation

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The Imagina Badia project, which aims to improve citizens' quality of life through regenerative urban transformations, was presented on 28 June. The Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) has actively worked with the Badia del Vallès Municipal Council to launch this initiative within the framework of the Sub>urban project, which is co-funded by the URBACT European programme.

Thanks to the project, work on drafting the first phase of the plan has taken place in Badia over the last year. This involves an analysis and a diagnosis of the town's situation by a team involving both administrations and a group of residents from the city, known as the Central Debate Group. The public was also able to have its say at an event that took place in April. The phase for specifying proposals for change and defining their future implementation will now begin.

During the event, the Director of Urban Planning of the AMB, Josep Maria Carreras, highlighted the importance of participation—a participation ?'from the bottom up'. Carreras called on citizens to participate ‘as active elements' and not merely on a consultative basis, and added: ‘that is the real transformation'.

The Mayor of Badia, Eva Menor, recalled the transformative role of municipal councils: ‘we have always been the driving force for change. We are the government bodies that are closest to citizens, which means that we are the ones who know first-hand about the situations, needs and opportunities in our territories.' She added that ‘it is essential to incorporate citizens into the processes for transforming and adapting our municipal models'.

The three phases in the process (diagnosis, strategy and proposals) and the three thematic areas involved in the work (Connected City, Healthy City, Inclusive City) were outlined during the presentation.

The collective work in this programme must conclude in May 2018, which is when the meeting of the various participating municipalities will take place in Badia del Vallès and Barcelona.

European support

The URBACT European Union programme co-finances local action plans that promote a sustainable urban development model for municipalities. The programme is organised through a network of cities that share their concerns and knowledge and work on joint strategies for improvement—mainly on the design and implementation of local transformational policies. The Barcelona Metropolitan Area, together with Badia del Vallès, participates as a partner in the ‘Sub>urban. Reinventing the fringe' network, which includes the municipalities of Antwerp (Belgium), Casoria (Italy), Düsseldorf (Germany), Solin (Croatia), Brno (Czech Republic), Oslo (Norway), Baia Mare (Romania) and Vienna (Austria).

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  • Logo SubUrban
    Action area:
    Europe
    Subject:
    Sustainable urban development
    Status:
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Where
Marker
Badia del Vallès