One of the busiest streets in Trinitat Nova, Aiguablava Street, becomes a veritable oven during the summer months. Its mountain side, with a wide half-kilometer sidewalk, lacks any shade, causing discomfort among residents.
“"In winter, the sun is welcome, but in summer… the pavement burns. It becomes a bit unbearable."
The situation is exacerbated by the reflection of heat against building walls, further raising temperatures. Although the sea side of the street does have shade for a 140-meter stretch, the sidewalk later narrows or deviates, hindering passage.
Neighborhood demands for a more pleasant street with more greenery have been constant for years. The claim reached the Nou Barris plenary session last Tuesday in March but did not progress. The municipal government acknowledged the high temperatures but argued that the installation of shade elements is 'technically not viable'.
The main impediment is the passage of the L4 metro line tunnels underground, which prevents planting trees and complicates the installation of other structures. Gabriel Duarte, manager of Nou Barris, exemplified the complexity with the metro station elevator, which had to be anchored to the wall instead of the ground.
“"It is not a minor issue to seek alternatives. It's not that it has been 100% ruled out, but on one hand, we have a significant technical difficulty, and on the other, our priority is playgrounds and other spaces like squares or parks with multipurpose use."
Despite the district's response, residents are not satisfied. José López, from the AV Trinitat Nova, suggests alternatives such as green coverings on the wall to provide shade and humanize a road they consider an 'urban highway'. The district, for its part, has announced that the Shade Program plans 13 new shade locations in Nou Barris between 2026 and 2027, including squares such as Álvaro Conqueiro and Ángel Pestaña.
