The association APOS will promote next Saturday a debate on the theme «The Commercial Center of Olhão – End of Commerce?», which is part of the conference cycle «(Re)Pensar Olhão», organized by the Association for the Valorization of Cultural Heritage and Environment of Olhão. The initiative will take place at Sociedade Recreativa Olhanense, from 16 pm.
The Conference will be attended by Vítor Matias, member of APOS and of the Association of Commerce and Services of the Algarve Region (ACRAL) and is open to the general public. The objective is to try to “respond to the challenges of sustainable development and ensure urbanism that favors balanced commercial activity”.
«The planning and planning of the territory cannot relegate to the background, or simply ignore, Commerce as a fundamental aspect to be considered when designing urban policies. Commerce not only needs to be located in the space, but also participates directly in its construction, so it needs to be planned in accordance with the city's policies», defended APOS, in a press release.
In the framework of Saturday's conference theme, the association considers that a lively shopping center also becomes a cultural center of a community, giving commerce an important function of social cohesion.
“In recent decades, in Western Europe and the United States, there has been a marked peripheral commercial development. With the new suburban commercial formats, changes in consumption habits necessarily arise. The center becomes outsourced and deserts outside the opening hours of services and commerce. The center loses its attractiveness and its urban and commercial fabric deteriorates», he illustrated.
Bearing in mind that «the Commercial Low of Olhão did not escape this trend», APOS considered «it was necessary to find strategies and policies to counteract this situation».
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