Barcelona’s City Council has announced a significant urban regeneration project for the El Raval neighbourhood, earmarking €11.7 million to transform the open-air municipal sports track on Avenida Drassanes into a modern, covered pavilion.

Mayor Jaume Collboni confirmed the initiative on Monday. It forms part of a wider €14.28 million investment package aimed at revitalising public spaces and sports facilities in Raval Sud. Furthermore, the project stems from a budget agreement between Collboni’s Socialists’ Party of Catalonia (PSC) and the municipal group of the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), an agreement which enabled the minority government to pass the city’s budget.

A New Sporting Hub for El Raval

The Ciutat Vella Sports Association currently manages the open-air court at Avenida Drassanes, 10. This court will be expanded and enclosed, creating a 2,094-square-metre facility. The council’s plans indicate the new pavilion will feature spectator seating for 250 people and will be regulation-sized to host official competitions in handball, futsal, basketball, volleyball, and badminton. This development provides a crucial upgrade for local federated teams such as C.F.S. Nou de la Rambla.

Mayor Collboni considers this investment a strategic tool for social progress. As reported by La Vanguardia, he stated:

We want it to be a true sports town square for El Raval.

He argued that while cultural investment revitalised the district previously, sport can now foster community and positive values. Collboni added, emphasising its importance in areas facing social exclusion risks:

Sport helps to create community.

Significantly, the mayor views the project as part of a broader effort to combat gentrification. It aims to ensure residents, particularly young people, can remain in the neighbourhood.

Broader Investments in Raval Sud

Furthermore, €2.17 million will be invested in two adjacent projects, with construction scheduled for February 2027. This includes a new 900-square-metre public plaza and a 658-square-metre indoor sports hall, located on the ground floor of a new social housing block on Carrer de Sant Martí. This smaller facility will accommodate activities such as personal training, boxing, martial arts, and yoga.

Meanwhile, a temporary sports court costing €315,000 will be installed this summer on a plot on Carrer de Sant Bartomeu. This site is earmarked for a new nursery school from 2028. Additionally, a pilot project, costing €50,000, will install a digital and interactive basketball hoop in the Jardins de Sant Pau del Camp by January 2027. If successful, the council plans to expand this technology to other parts of the city.

Looking Ahead

The mayor emphasised that the Ciutat Vella district is a top priority, with over €250 million in total investments planned during his term. He asserted:

For the city to function with well-being and security, Ciutat Vella must improve.

This focus on local amenities comes as demand for public sports facilities rises; Barcelona’s municipal sports centres recently hit record subscription numbers. The investment also aligns with the mayor’s wider policies to manage the district’s social pressures. It complements initiatives such as his proposal to restrict property purchases by non-EU foreigners.

The procurement process for the Drassanes pavilion project began this month, with a tender for the preliminary design. Construction is scheduled to start in the second half of 2028. According to a report in El Periódico, the new facility is expected to be fully operational between 2030 and 2031. Ultimately, this transformation aims to provide much-needed modern sporting infrastructure for local clubs and residents. It reinforces the council’s strategy of using sport as a catalyst for social cohesion in one of Barcelona’s most historic and diverse neighbourhoods.