Proposals that involved water costs were excluded from the batch of 16 projects that were voted on in the 4th edition of the Participatory Budget (OP) of Faro, announced yesterday Rogério Bacalhau, president of the Chamber of the Algarve capital.
This edition of the OP had the largest budget ever (265.955 euros), having received a total of 37 proposals. Of these, only 16 projects were submitted to a vote by Farenses.
In the words of Rogério Bacalhau, the Participatory Budget is already “established”, and, therefore, there are more and more people participating.
«Of the 37 ideas, 16 projects were built, because there are many proposals that are just ideas, but then they even get together with others and create a project. EWe also excluded any ideas that would involve spending water, for example, that was one of the criteria, and in the end there were 16 projects», explained the mayor on the sidelines of the presentation of the OP winners, which took place this Friday, April 12th.
To journalists, the mayor highlighted that this is a way of making people “think about public space” and transmitting “needs they feel” and the ideas they have to meet those needs.
«Even though we walk down the street a lot and talk to people, we don't have the same perception. That's why it makes perfect sense to have this Participatory Budget, in which it is the population that builds the idea and it is the population that votes which idea is stronger».
Of the 16 projects, the most voted was “Bairro Pintado” (336 votes), a proposal by Filipe Gois Alves, which aims to bring Bairro da Penha to life.
«This project wants to bring urban art to the neighborhood, involving the community and its residents. Our idea is to take local artists and transform the Penha neighborhood», explained the author of the proposal, adding that the objective is also to invite students from the Vale Carneiro School to paint, together with the artists, part of the staircase.
«Integrating the community with urban art is the objective and we are very happy to have won», said Natacha Alves, also involved in the proposal.
The 4th Participatory Budget of Faro will also monetarily support the “Cultura em Monte” project (289 votes), by Rui Paulo Guerreiro, for the Parish of Montenegro; the “Campo de Basket Art 3×3” (212 votes), by José Manuel Sequeira Costa, for the Union of Parishes of Faro; the “Pedestrian Routes” (134 votes), by Eduardo Peyroteo, for the Parish of Montenegro; the “Improvement of the Basket Field on Rua da Amendoeira” (90 votes), by Bertina Santos, for the Union of Parishes of Faro; “Wells and Public Farms” (83 votes), by Osvaldo Serro, for the Parish of Santa Bárbara de Nexe, and the “Recovery of the Nativity House in the Public Garden of the Palácio de Estoi (63 votes), by José de Paula Brito, for the Union Parishes of Conceição and Estoi.
Initially, the budget foreseen for the OP Faro and OP Escola this year was 250 thousand euros, in total, but, in order to be able to include another project, the municipality decided to increase the amount to 265.955 euros.
Taking into account the number of proposals linked to sport, which collected a considerable number of votes, the mayor admits that the municipality “needs more sports spaces”.
«Sporting activity has increased a lot in the last ten years. NWe are working to improve sporting conditions in the municipality, even to increase capacity, but these are things that take many years and, fortunately, the municipality has been very supportive of sports – it is good, because it gives us added responsibility", continues the mayor.
As in previous editions, 10 thousand euros of the funds were allocated to OP Schools.
In the words of Rogério Bacalhau, «this Participatory Budget has a different nature».
«What we want is to get kids to participate in this process and get them thinking about school and the environment. All of this is a very important learning experience», highlighted the mayor, leaving the guarantee that the OP will be back, for the 5th edition, in October.
Photos: Mariana Sedge | Sul Informação
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