Barcelona City Council has given final approval for the Vallcarca Central Park project in the Gràcia district. Works are expected to start in December 2024 and will last approximately 18 months, transforming the neighbourhood with significant green space and new housing.

The new park will add 10,000 square metres of green area. It will be bordered by Vallcarca Avenue, the viaduct, Gustavo Adolfo Becquer Street, and Cambrils Street. Laia Bonet, Councillor for the Gràcia district and First Deputy Mayor, welcomed the news. She stated, "the approval of this project is good news that shows that in Vallcarca, the transformation to lift the neighbourhood out of the provisionality it had been anchored in for years is not stopping, and to create more housing, improve public space, and locate quality green areas for residents."

Vallcarca's New Green Heart

The future park will incorporate existing features, including urban allotments covering nearly 200 square metres. It will also introduce new adapted routes, seating areas, and children's play zones. New vegetation and trees will create shaded areas, and permeable spaces will help manage rainwater effectively.

The park project divides into two main areas. One section features a flatter, more controlled urban design, connecting with surrounding buildings. The second area offers a more naturalised landscape, using terraces to absorb the existing elevation changes. A new main pedestrian route will cross the park, linking Vallcarca Avenue, beneath the viaduct, with Gustavo Bécquer Street at the entrance to the Maria Baldó gardens. The park will also have multiple access points from Vallcarca Avenue, Cambrils Street, and Gustavo Bécquer Street.

The urban plaza area will provide an open space for children's games, seating, and social interaction. This area can also host community activities and outdoor events requiring ample space. Accessible terraces will connect via ramps and stairs. Two of these terraces will feature urban allotments, and the uppermost terrace will include a picnic area. Works in this area began earlier with the construction of a street basketball court, which is expected to finish in the coming weeks.

Boosting Affordable Housing

Barcelona City Council is also advancing several housing initiatives in Vallcarca. The Institut Municipal d'Habitatge de Barcelona (IMHAB) is tendering the construction of two new affordable housing developments. These projects will add 47 new flats to the public housing stock in the neighbourhood.

Additionally, the City Council is starting the allocation process for 36 affordable rental homes in the Grèvol development. This project, located at Vallcarca Avenue, 112-120, is a collaboration between Fundación SALAS and Fundación Nou Lloc, with IMHAB ceding the surface rights for 99 years. Officials expect to deliver these flats by the end of this year. The Grèvol homes include reservations for specific groups, such as people with reduced mobility, individuals under 35 years old, single-parent families, and local residents. The remaining homes will go to applicants registered in Barcelona's Official Protected Housing Applicants Register.

Essential Infrastructure Upgrades

Beyond the park and housing, Vallcarca is undergoing further infrastructure improvements. Works are currently underway on the Can Farigola neighbourhood service ring, also known as the Vallcarca service ring. This project includes urbanisation with environmental criteria and the installation of service channels in Verge del Coll, Farigola, Medes, Cambrils, l'Argentera, and Calendau streets.

Meanwhile, Barcelona City Council is progressing with plans to expropriate four properties on Vallcarca Avenue, between Ballester and Agramunt streets. This action will enable the construction of a crucial storm tank, an essential infrastructure project in the context of climate emergency. The storm tank will be located beneath the future Rambla Verde. The total budget for the park's urbanisation and the future reform of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer and Cambrils streets, which will occur in a second phase, amounts to 8.9 million euros.

This extensive urban development demonstrates a significant commitment to improving public spaces, increasing affordable housing, and enhancing essential services for Vallcarca residents. The projects aim to create a more liveable and sustainable neighbourhood for the future.

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Originally published by La Vanguardia Barcelona. Read original article.