The foundation stone of the future Home, Day Care and Day Center in Olhos de Água, in Albufeira, a project that has been delayed for a long time and which will motivate an investment of 5,2 million euros, was launched yesterday.
This new equipment will have the services of a Day Care Center, Day Centre, Residential Structure for the Elderly and Home Support Service (SAD) and has the capacity to support a total of 184 users.
"The crèche will have a capacity for 42 children, while the other services will be able to accommodate a total of 132 users: 57 elderly (ERPI), 35 elderly (in a Day Center regime), plus 40 users of the Home Support Service", described the Albufeira Town Hall.
The autarchy stressed that the «relevance of the project» led the executive to have chosen to hold a face-to-face ceremony, «the first to be held in Albufeira during the phase of deconfiguration of Covid-19», with «a limited number of guests, respecting all the rules advised by the Public Health authorities».
Highlighting the «huge symbolism of the moment», José Carlos Rolo, mayor of Albufeira, recalled that this is a project designed for a long time and that «it was not easy» to reach the laying of the first stone.
«The construction of the Home, Day Care and Day Center in Olhos de Água was supposed to have started in 2007 or 2008, but the crisis came and we had to stop everything. Then it was necessary to adapt the project to the new legislation that has come into force in the meantime, launch the tender and today, finally, we are here to start construction», he said.
The mayor explained that the symbolism also involves giving a signal to the community, to investors themselves and to those who visit us that "the council does not stop".
“These works promote the local economy directly and indirectly, either through the jobs they generate, through the acquisition of materials needed for construction and through the dynamization of cafes, restaurants and accommodation, among other businesses”, considered José Carlos Rolo.
"A piece of equipment of this nature should not be seen as an expense, but as an investment, because it is made with people in mind and the social economy and investments in social equipment are never priced because the return is always much higher", he considered, in turn, Paulo Freitas, president of the Municipal Assembly.
In addition to this investment, the Municipality of Albufeira is currently «developing the economic feasibility study with a view to launching the tender for the construction of Lar de Fontainhas and will soon launch the tender for Lar dos Caliços, as well as two construction projects of social housing in Paderne and Albufeira», according to the municipality.
Investments in crèches, nursing homes, day centers and social housing, «areas in which the municipality is very deprived», are seen as important by the executive, with a view to «economic development and the well-being of the population».
The Olhos de Água Home, Day Care and Day Center building has two floors and is being built on a plot of land belonging to the Municipality with an area of 6225 square meters. The gross building area is 3880 square meters, and the equipment includes two distinct areas: one dedicated exclusively to Day Care and the other to Day Center and Residential Structure for the Elderly (ERPI), both with independent entrances.
The equipment is completed by a reception, lobby, medical office and kitchen. The outer space will be fenced and organized into five zones: public access and service area (supplies, loading and unloading and garbage conditioning), private parking with capacity for 18 spaces, nursery area, and leisure and social area for Day Center and ERPI users.
The space will also house a small vegetable garden, which will be able to function as a source of supply of fresh products for the institution and serve any educational and occupational therapy projects. A rainwater reservoir will also be built to guarantee the irrigation of the vegetable garden.
Photos: Albufeira Town Hall
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