A controversy has erupted in Barcelona's Vila Olímpica neighbourhood over a 50-year lease of the Patriarca Abraham parish by the Archdiocese to the Mémora Foundation. The agreement, announced in February, plans to convert the religious site into an end-of-life support centre and interreligious dialogue point.

Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) and local residents strongly oppose the project. They argue the land is municipal property. Any change of use requires city council approval.

Lourdes Arrando, an ERC councillor for the Sant Martí district, stated to Tot Barcelona, "The land is municipal." She highlighted that the City Council originally ceded the land to the Archdiocese for religious purposes linked to the 1992 Olympic Games.

The Archdiocese announced the 50-year lease to Mémora in February. This lease involves an annual fee. The church will be deconsecrated and the building rehabilitated once the City Council approves the project.

Jordi Giró, president of the Vila Olímpica Neighbourhood Association, expressed concerns about the Mémora project. He believes the parish space should serve as a public facility for the neighbourhood. This could include a care home for the elderly or assisted living for seniors or young people.

Giró also confirmed the municipal ownership of the land. He explained the Olympic Holding company ceded the land to the Archdiocese. "We are checking the registry situation," Giró added.

Origins of the Land Dispute

The City Council provided the land for the Patriarca Abraham parish before the 1992 Olympic Games. During the Olympics, the site hosted interreligious services for athletes. These services catered to the five recognised confessions by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

After the Games, the building became a church, as agreed with the City Council. ERC now argues the proposed Mémora project represents a change of use. This change must receive approval from the City Council.

The Archdiocese, however, maintains that a Special Urban Plan needs approval. This plan would formalise the new use.

Political and Community Opposition

ERC will present a motion at the urban planning commission next Tuesday. The party will ask Mayor Jaume Collboni's government to "urge a halt to the agreement."

Eva Baró, an ERC councillor, signed the motion text. It states, "This new use would not respond to the original purpose that motivated the cession of the municipal land." The motion also demands maximum transparency and public participation for any substantial change of use.

Barcelona en Comú had previously proposed a public funeral home at the same parish site in late 2024. This shows ongoing interest in the site's future use.

Residents fear the parish could eventually become a funeral home. Barcelona's 2023 funeral home plan requires new facilities to be within a 10-minute walk of cemeteries. The Poblenou cemetery is next to the parish on Carrer de Jaume Vicens Vives.

Demands for Public Interest

ERC insists on preserving the space's public and community function. They believe its future should align with current neighbourhood needs. The equipment previously had community and social uses.

Arrando stressed that the City Council could reach an agreement with the Archdiocese to recover the land. She noted the Archdiocese is doing the same with Mémora.

"The building belongs to the Archdiocese, but they built it under specific conditions and with a free land cession," Arrando explained. "The Archdiocese cannot do whatever it wants, especially with a change of use."

The Vila Olímpica neighbourhood lacks public facilities and protected housing. This makes the fate of the parish site even more critical for residents.

The City Council has not yet offered a full municipal assessment of the agreement. Municipal sources told Tot Barcelona the government would respond during the commission. They described the issue as complex, involving different areas and requiring document review.

ERC will also request the government provide municipal groups with the "agreement or legal instrument" for the land cession. This aims to clarify the legal basis for the site's ownership and permitted uses moving forward.

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Originally published by Tot Barcelona. Read original article.