JMJ: the Lisbon Chamber will invest more than 20 ME in the Tejo-Trancão Urban Park

During a press conference at Parque Tejo, which will host WYD in early August, where around 1,5 million people are expected, the deputy mayor of the municipality, Filipe Anacoreta Correia, presented the plan and the investment of the Lisbon Chamber for holding the event.

According to the figures presented, the largest part of the investment (21,5 million euros) is destined for the Parque Urbano Tejo-Trancão, the place that will host the main event of WYD.

In this plot, the rehabilitation of the Beirolas sanitary landfill (7,1 million euros), the installation of a stage altar (4,24 million euros), the construction of a pedestrian bridge over the Trancão River (4,2 million euros) and sanitation, infrastructure and equipment for water supply and electricity (3,3 million euros).

The estimated investment value for this site also includes studies, projects and supervision (1,6 million euros) and tests and foundations (1,06 million euros).

Speaking of this investment, Filipe Anacoreta Correia stressed that it is "an opportunity to rehabilitate an area of ​​the city of Lisbon that is disqualified", pointing out that the Portuguese capital will benefit in the future from 19 million euros of the investment now made.

“These values ​​that we talk about as investments are values ​​that remain in the city. The value we have set for this Tejo-Trancão project will provide the city with a park in an area that was a landfill and was a devalued area of ​​the city of Lisbon, with the potential that this represents in economic terms”, a- he argued.

In addition to Parque Tejo, Lisbon City Hall plans to invest around 13,5 million euros to develop places in other parts of the city, including Parque Eduardo VII, Terreiro do Paço, Alameda D. Afonso Henriques and Parque da Nice view.

In these places, investments are planned in the placement of stages, lighting, sound, screens, bathrooms, stands, generators, signage, security, waste collection and cleaning squads.

The Lisbon City Council has also announced that it will strengthen equipment in the areas of urban hygiene, the fire brigade, municipal police and civil protection.

Parque Eduardo VII was the venue chosen for three WYD events: the opening mass (with approximately 200 people), the reception of Pope Francis (000 people) and the Stations of the Cross (500 people). .

In this place, a stage will be set up (still without estimated cost value) which will be the subject of an international competition, according to the vice-president of the Lisbon City Hall, adding that this, unlike what will be built in Tejo-Trancão Park, will be removed at the end of the event.

The Lisbon Chamber estimates that the works provided for in this investment plan will be completed by June and expresses its wish that "there is no slippage in the estimated value".

The municipality of Lisbon says it expects around 1,5 million people to travel to the capital to take part in WYD.

“For the size of Lisbon, hosting an event of this size is a big challenge. This will be an opportunity to give notoriety and visibility to Portugal”, he underlined.

World Youth Day is the largest meeting of young Catholics around the world with the Pope, which takes place every two or three years, between July and August.

Lisbon was the city chosen in 2019 to host the 2022 meeting, which was moved to 2023 due to the covid-19 pandemic, sharing the organization with the neighboring municipality of Loures.

CAF // VAM