A stylish staircase walks from the 20s of the last century, which combines beauty with utility and security. This is, in summary, a description of the new staircase at Praia do Peneco, in Albufeira, which was inaugurated on the city's municipal holiday, on Saturday, August 20th.
The works of Preservation and Conservation of Staircase and Arriba of Praia do Peneco, in Esplanada Dr. Frutuoso da Silva, cost around 1,5 million euros and used innovative techniques and materials, with the work being carried out by the company Teixeira Duarte.
José Carlos Rolo, mayor of Albufeira, explained that the municipality's option was "to carry out a fundamental work and not just a repair".
In memory, now distant, there is still the fall of a section of the old staircase, on August 24, 1989, which caused the death of a man and serious injuries to his girlfriend. After that fatal accident, which resulted mainly from water seeping into the chalcoarenite cliff, resulting from the rupture of the supply pipe of a bar built on the cliff, several consolidation works were carried out over the years, but the Municipality realized that a "fundamental work" was necessary.
Thus, in March of last year, the contract was awarded for around 945 thousand euros to Teixeira Duarte. But, as José Carlos Rolo recalled, «after the deforestation, cracks in the cliffs were visible, which indicated great danger».
Complementary consolidation works were then awarded, in the amount of 400 thousand euros, and, later, the construction of retaining walls (108 thousand euros). Adding to this the initial value of the project, the intervention ended up costing a little more than one and a half million euros, 400 thousand of which financed by community funds from the Portugal 2020 program.
At the end of Saturday afternoon, as soon as it was inaugurated, the new staircase soon began to be used by many tourists leaving the beach. Next door is the Praia do Peneco elevator, but, as a bather said to the Sul Informação, «at least in the afternoon, when the stairs are in the shade, I prefer to go up here. I enjoy and exercise”.
As José Carlos Rolo pointed out, it is an «emblematic work, easily accessible for those who use it, whether residents or visitors». In fact, after more than a year of putting up with the works, the residents were invited to the opening and many were there.
The staircase, with wide and comfortable steps and more resting levels, with benches and space for contemplation, in addition to its immediate use as an access route to and from the beach, could become the stage for various initiatives, namely fashion shows and exhibitions, as confided to our newspaper Cristiano Cabrita, vice-president of the Chamber of Albufeira.
At night, with the decorative lighting on, the new staircase at Praia do Peneco resumed its role as «one of the most iconic places in the city of Albufeira».
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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