Improvement of the Metropolitan Parks Network (XPM) with an ERDF grant of €1.1 million
| Subject: Patrimoni
The AMB is going to improve a total of six metropolitan parks by focusing on heritage elements that require restoration work. The improvements will begin in 2021 and all the interventions are expected to have been finished by the end of 2023
A grant of €1.1 million from the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) will permit the continuous improvement of the Metropolitan Parks Network (XPM). The funding will be used to restore six metropolitan parks that contain heritage, architectural, botanical and historical values. Many of these elements of heritage that distinguish each metropolitan park have aged over time and different kinds of restoration work is required.
The restoration will consider incorporating values such as accessibility and social cohesion. Accessibility will improve with the adaptation of accesses and paved surfaces, and the installation of handrails, thus increasing users' safety. Social cohesion will be boosted by placing new signage on heritage elements, which will become new educational facilities in the parks.
The six actions will be carried out in the following metropolitan park:
The restoration will consider incorporating values such as accessibility and social cohesion. Accessibility will improve with the adaptation of accesses and paved surfaces, and the installation of handrails, thus increasing users' safety. Social cohesion will be boosted by placing new signage on heritage elements, which will become new educational facilities in the parks.
The six actions will be carried out in the following metropolitan park:
- Parc de Torreblanca (Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Sant Joan Despí and Sant Just Desvern). Three architectural landmarks will be restored: the Templet, the Torrassa, and the steps and stone balustrade of the access to Sant Feliu de Llobregat that, due to their bad condition, are currently closed to the public for safety reasons.
- Parc de Can Vidalet (Esplugues de Llobregat). The park's old public laundry will be restored and the access to the small temple and islet in the romantic lake will be revamped. The laundry, an old pool which was once used to irrigate the estate, has leakage problems that causes water to seep down into the park's environmental education room located right underneath. As regards the small temple and islet in the romantic lake, closed to the public for safety reasons, new paved surfaces will be built and the area surrounding the cave and romantic lake will be improved.
- Parc de Can Mercader (Cornellà de Llobregat). There are plans to adapt the paths and accesses, improvements will be made to the water surfaces and the unique vegetation is going to be recovered. The first step is to renew the paved surfaces and paths that lead to the heritage elements such as Can Mercader Palace. After that, work will be carried out on the water surfaces, such as waterproofing and drainage improvement to optimise water consumption; vegetation will also be added to favour aquatic biodiversity. Finally, in respect to the unique vegetation, the safety conditions of the existing trees will be enhanced and vegetation will be planted in different spaces.
- Parc de Can Solei i de Ca l'Arnús (Badalona). The caves will be improved, the romantic garden will be recovered and the old irrigation system will be restored. As regards the caves, currently closed to the public, their structure will be reinforced, accesses will be improved and handrails will be installed, thus becoming a new route for visitors. In respect to the irrigation system, the old canals that used to distribute the water for irrigating crops will be recovered and two pools where the water was once stored will be mended.
- Parc de Can Buxeres (L'Hospitalet de Llobregat). This park was originally a farming estate, although it was later transformed into a house where Catalan nobility used to spend their summers. Since it opened as an urban park, it has undergone different changes and extensions without previous planning. The work will improve the paths and accesses to the Palauet and the unique vegetation will be recovered.
- Parc de les Aigües (Montcada i Reixac). There are plans to restore the romantic garden in Casa de les Aigües and the area around the Rec Comtal irrigation canal. The work will begin by improving the accessibility and existing vegetation in the romantic garden to respond to the high number of visitors to Casa de les Aigües. The next step will be to install protection elements and improve the accesses, different levels and paved surfaces around the Rec Comtal area.
The work will cost a total of €2.8 million, of which €1.1 million are subsidised by the ERDF; the remaining amount will be co-funded by the AMB and metropolitan municipalities.
The Barcelona Metropolitan Area is in charge of creating the final designs, project management and management of all the administrative and technical operations of the ERDF Operational Programme.
This project is framed within the ERDF Funding Agreement entered into by the Government of Catalonia and AMB in 2017, to manage metropolitan projects within the Catalonia 2014-2020 ERDF Operational Programme for investment for growth and jobs, in areas such as smart cities, sustainable mobility, energy efficiency, and the recovery and promotion of natural, industrial and cultural heritage. This agreement will enable the AMB to invest a total of €72 million, of which 30 will be co-funded by the ERDF.
The AMB has opened an information portal where all the projects related to this fund are described:
AMB ERDF Programme 2014-2020
The Barcelona Metropolitan Area is in charge of creating the final designs, project management and management of all the administrative and technical operations of the ERDF Operational Programme.
This project is framed within the ERDF Funding Agreement entered into by the Government of Catalonia and AMB in 2017, to manage metropolitan projects within the Catalonia 2014-2020 ERDF Operational Programme for investment for growth and jobs, in areas such as smart cities, sustainable mobility, energy efficiency, and the recovery and promotion of natural, industrial and cultural heritage. This agreement will enable the AMB to invest a total of €72 million, of which 30 will be co-funded by the ERDF.
The AMB has opened an information portal where all the projects related to this fund are described: