Green spaces the “street furniture”

In large urbanizations and cities of great population density, as is the case of Agualva-Cacém, green spaces have been increasingly important as they function as promoters of culture, health and environmental, economic and social well-being.

Agualva-Cacém is a city belonging to the municipality of Sintra and is characterized by a high population density.

In a very short time the resident population increased explosively, which has many negative consequences.

The problems stem from the lack of equipment and infrastructures that the population need.

Faced with this panorama, in recent years the city has been the target of interventions with a view to combating the environmental degradation.

Many have been the deployed measures and programs in this city that have minimized some of the urban problems.

One of these programs, if not the most important, is the Urban Rehabilitation Area (URA) submitted for approval by the Sintra Council.

This program, which began in 2015, aims to strengthen local identity, where Praça, Rua and Largo de excellence contribute to the social and cultural inclusion of which Agualva-Cacém is a part.

The URA of Agualva, initially with 38 hectares, was adjusted including “the front built north of Quinta da Fidalga and extended to Ribeira das Jardas” to encourage the implementation of the strategies of the Detail Plan of the Central Area of Cacém.

The redevelopment of these areas, the Ribeira das Jardas park and more recently the Quinta da Fidalga park had many positive impacts on the City.

The Ribeira das Jardas park has proved to be very important in what is to promote the quality of life of the resident population.

Today, hundreds of people enjoy the multifunctionality of this green space.

Located in a central area, offers tranquility, peace and harmony for those who like this public space and not those who come to avoid urban stress.

The Quinta da Fidalga Park was inaugurated in 2016 and is dedicated to leisure and artistic activities inspired by the theme of water as part of sustainability and the life cycle.

This new life of Quinta, which corresponded to a degraded and abandoned space currently has sports and recreational equipment.

These spaces replace old public spaces through relationships and social gatherings, guaranteeing the quality of life with direct benefits to the health and well-being of the population.

Both the riverside park and the Quinta da Fidalga park have significantly improved air quality, reducing health problems caused by pollution.

We can find a relation between quality of life and environmental quality, since these spaces are essential for the environmental sustainability of the city and the population that lives in it.

As green spaces are so important for urbanization, we consider the authors, the gardens, parks and all the natural characteristics of the same “urban furniture”, as well as the furniture of our house, these spaces provide us with some comfort and characteristics dedicated to the relaxation and leisure, important for a body / mind balance, a haven for all those who seek well-being.

It is in these same parks, gardens, etc … that children, young people, adults and the elderly create happy memories to remember later, it is these memories that make these parks the “urban furniture”.

Mamadu Darame, Rafael Gonçalves