Jardim da Verbena, in São Brás de Alportel, will be re-qualified, in order to become a more friendly space for people with reduced mobility. Along the way, the City Council will highlight the history of this park, namely the natural heritage that exists there.
The contract “Requalification of the Leisure and Animation Area of Verbena” was awarded last week and will cost around 250 thousand euros. Although there is still no date for the start of the works, Vítor Guerreiro, president of the São Brás de Alportel Chamber, assured the Sul Informação that these will start "soon" and that they will take about six months.
According to the São Brasense mayor, “one of the main objectives is to make the garden accessible to people with reduced mobility, improving circulation inside”.
For this, circulation zones will be created designed for those who have mobility difficulties. Basically, it is about «making the space more functional for use, because it is a historic garden and a reference in the center of São Brás de Alportel».
«One of our main goals is, little by little, to make our municipality more inclusive, in terms of accessibility», illustrated Vítor Guerreiro.
The intervention will also serve to enhance the heritage component of Jardim da Verbena, starting with its natural elements.
“The project includes the placement of bilingual information about the flora that exists there. We have, in the garden, some trees that are extremely interesting», he told the Sul Informação the mayor of São Brás de Alportel.
In this way, «trees will not be cut down, because the ones that are there are already very old and have their own history. They are perfectly framed in the project we have defined, which involves improving what already exists and valuing what we have and is a milestone in our heritage».
The history of Jardim da Verbena will also be highlighted, bearing in mind that this «was the garden of the former episcopal palace, where the Bishop of the Algarve spent his holidays». The fountain, fed by a spring that existed there and was used by the Bishop and his entourage to go to baths, are examples of heritage to be valued.
The project also includes the creation of «picnic areas, with tables, which do not exist now, despite this being a very pleasant park».
This work will be “harmonised” with another, already in progress, that of refurbishing the outdoor swimming pools, located next to Jardim da Verbena.
Here, the investment is close to 300 thousand euros, which will be used to replace the networks, mechanisms and renovation of the changing rooms».
There will also be an intervention in the pool tank itself, which was designed with two jumping boards, which leads to it being much deeper on one side than is necessary. But, said the São Brasense aedile, the planks, “nowadays, they are no longer viable”.
“We are going to reduce the depth of the main pool, in order to reduce the need for water and make the equipment more sustainable. We are also proceeding with the waterproofing of the swimming pool, which already had some losses, and requalifying all the surrounding space», concluded Vítor Guerreiro.
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