Girona inaugurated this Saturday the new pacified environment of the parish of Sant Pau, in the Pla de Palau Sant Pau neighborhood, with a morning of activities open to families. The space, which previously functioned as a road for cars, has become for the exclusive use of pedestrians.
The official opening was held at 11:30 h with the presence of the mayor, Lluc Salellas i Vilar, the deputy mayor and councilor for Economic Promotion and Legal Services, Gemma Geis i Carreras, and the councilor for Mobility and Public Road, Isaac Sanchez i Ferrer, who formalized the entry into operation of the new zone.
A redevelopment next to the parish of Sant Pau
The action has been carried out on Narcís Blanch i Illa street, in the section between Riu Llierca street and Riu Ser street. The intervention has served to pacify the surroundings of the Sant Pau parish and convert it into a space designed for walking, staying, and neighborhood use.
The works have created a square for the neighborhood at a point where a multi-sports court already exists. The redevelopment also incorporates a seating and play area with a ping pong table, within an area where vehicular traffic has been eliminated.
Acts all morning
The inauguration was accompanied by a playful program aimed at all audiences. During the morning there was a musical vermouth with the live performance of a DJ. Also, wooden games and chess games with giant pieces were installed, on a day conceived so that the neighborhood could inaugurate the new space.
A project worked with children and neighborhood
The new pacified space stems from an agreement reached between the previous government of Junts per Catalunya and the municipal group of Guanyem Girona within the framework of the 2020 budgets. The proposal was worked on jointly with boys and girls from the Consell de la Infància and was presented to the Associació de Veïns de Pla de Palau Sant Pau, which was able to incorporate some contributions.
The councilor Isaac Sanchez i Ferrer remarked that the action stems from a proposal by the Adolescents' Council and highlighted that the recovery of the street for pedestrians allows a continuous walk that links with the neighborhood's civic center and with the Migdia park.
"We need a Girona with life in its streets. Calming streets prioritizes people and builds a kinder, livelier, and more cohesive city" - Lluc Salellas i Vilar, mayor of Girona
"This action allows gaining a new quality space for the neighborhood, designed for people, coexistence, and play" - Gemma Geis i Carreras, deputy mayor of Girona
From the city council, the intervention is framed within an urban transformation strategy aimed at strengthening coexistence and local commerce. The pacification of the Sant Pau area thus adds a new pedestrian square to the neighborhood, with the intention of consolidating a safer, healthier, and more connected space with the daily life of Pla de Palau Sant Pau.