The creation of a leisure port that goes from the Real Marina Hotel to the Cais do T, a deep intervention in the gardens that flank the Markets and an Avenida 5 de Outubro that is more friendly to passers-by and merchants are the key ideas of an authentic revolution which is being set in motion, by the City Council of Olhão, on the city's Ria Front.
The municipality took advantage of the preparation of the tender for the concession of the Port of Recreio to devise a new dynamic for the entire riverside area, which will turn, body and soul, to tourism. This is the wish of the mayor of Olhão António Pina, expressed in an interview with Sul Informação, where he revealed his vision for the future of this «premium zone» of the city.
«We collaborated with Docapesca in the elaboration of a new specifications for the Marina tender. And we demonstrated that our vision for that Riverfront Front was for all of it to have mooring posts for pleasure boats. Because it is an area of great potential and it makes no sense for it to be used for artisanal fishing. Fishing must be with fishing», said the mayor.
"The proposal is that the entire riverfront turns to recreational boating and that artisanal fishing is moved into the Port of Olhão," he added.
Shipment to the islands, «for now, remains on the T», as well as taxi boats and maritime-tourist boats, since the idea is that «this becomes an essentially tourist area».
António Pina does not foresee that the issue will be problematic for the fishermen – “I don't think this is any drama” -, for whom the move to the Fishing Port, located about 200 meters away, “turns out to be equal".
But fishermen do not share the same idea. Fisheries professionals from Olhão approached by our newspaper said they had already "heard" of the municipality's intention, but that there has not yet been any official approach.
And, if some suspect the effectiveness of the measure, since placing the artisanal fishermen in the Fishing Port, «with the trawlers, trawlers and rapas, it will be a big mess», others show annoyance at the prospect.
“They are always pushing small fishing from here to there. We were inside Porto, they sent us here, now they want to take us out of here…», vented the master of a vessel, who preferred not to be identified. It even admits that there may be protests, when the measure advances.
Other fishing professionals are less determined to contest the decision, provided that the same conditions that currently exist in the eastern part of the Olhão riverfront are replicated or improved.
Changes in this area of the city do not stop there. “We are going to refurbish the two gardens, Pescador Olhanense and Patrão Joaquim Lopes, in addition to a possible change in traffic and the terraces on Avenida 5 de Outubro, as well as a possible change in traffic,” revealed António Pina.
The idea is to give a new image to these areas, which are much sought after by residents and visitors and where there is a large offer of restaurants, providing them with better conditions. For traders, the measure that will have the most impact will be the requalification of the 5th of October.
«There is a team of architects that is studying this alteration, which will be able to use less road, with a wider sidewalk and, also, quality terraces. The direction in which it can be circulated is still under study.
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