Improvement works on four public spaces in the Besòs i el Maresme neighborhood, within the Sant Martí district of Barcelona, have begun with the goal of fostering sports practice, expanding the uses of public spaces, and promoting community life in the area. The project includes interventions in Plaça Mare Nazaria March, Vermelles Nord, Vermelles Sud, and Nova Plaça Maresme, incorporating new sports facilities to diversify activities and facilitate inclusive and intergenerational use of the squares.
The intervention addresses identified needs in the neighborhood and incorporates input from interviews conducted in 2022. The councilor for Sant Martí, David Escudé, highlighted that the improvements will launch new spaces for sports practice, updating existing areas and creating new ones for all ages, with the aim of investing in healthy habits and enhancing the quality of life for residents.
The initiative seeks to transform these spaces into small local sports zones, encouraging physical activity, coexistence, and social cohesion. At Plaça Mare Nazaria March, a dance mirror, fitness machines for seniors, table tennis tables, and a reduced 3x3 basketball court will be installed, including inclusive fitness equipment.
In Vermelles Nord, two pétanque courts and two table tennis tables will be built, along with the correction of the existing slope. This area, part of the strip known as Pistes Vermelles, will see improved accessibility and surface. Vermelles Sud will feature a new outdoor fitness area with individual and combined equipment, installed on a rubberized surface.
Finally, at Nova Plaça Maresme, four fitness machines, two table tennis tables, and a double basketball hoop with standard and junior height baskets will be installed. These new apparatus will complement the existing circuit, expanding exercise possibilities, particularly for the elderly.
The selection of equipment prioritized inclusive and intergenerational physical activity, adapted to various ages and abilities, reinforcing the role of public spaces as meeting points and fostering coexistence. The works are scheduled for a six-month execution period with an approximate budget of €614,000.
