In a statement, the Mayor, Benjamim Pereira, says that this is “a decisive step towards the execution of a structuring project for the municipality and the region”.

“This project corresponds to a year-old desire which will finally be fulfilled, having overcome several stages of a lengthy and, in some way, exhausting process, which is why this moment in which we take this step towards its execution is so important”, highlighted the mayor.

Benjamim Pereira highlighted that the municipality is “fully responsible for this high investment”, although he hopes that the project may receive some type of financing.

However, he added, at this moment it is not yet possible to assess through which mechanisms financing could be obtained and what the respective value will be.

“Still, given the importance and added value of this intervention, which will give a new image to the city’s riverside area, we intend to move forward with the project with resources exclusively from the municipality”, he added.

The work is expected to start in the first quarter of 2024, with the work completion period being one year.

The Esposende City Park will result in an intervention to re-qualify the southern part of the riverside area, with a view to providing the riverfront with a “more harmonious and integrated” urban image.

It will consist of pedestrian and cycling paths, in conjunction with the ecovias of the North Coast and Cávado, and will have spaces for outdoor events related to the river and the practice of informal sports, environmental interpretation posts and birdwatching points, a picnic park, public toilets, recreational equipment, and urban furniture.

The area to be intervened is around 30 hectares, including the extension to the south bank and including the construction of a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Cávado River and the requalification of almost all the surrounding roads, which will appear in later phases.

The work on re-qualifying the urban front of Parque da Cidade will soon begin, comprising the section between the old Naval Shipyard and the D. Luís Filipe bridge.

With an execution period of 18 months, this work has a base price of 1.8 million euros, and the paving of the EN13 section will be financed by Infraestruturas de Portugal, as part of the planned re-qualification of that road.