Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

The project is part of the municipal commitment to boost tourism and is part of the Sustainable Tourism Plan for Destinations funded by the EU's Next Generation funds.

Barcelona will soon begin construction of a green tourist route around the Rec Comtal, between the Vallbona and Trinitat Vella neighbourhoods. The work can start now the City Council Government Commission has approved the allocation of €2.9 million from EU Next Generation funds for it. The project will involve creating a path for pedestrians and cyclists that runs along the route of the Rec Comtal between the districts of Nou Barris and Sant Andreu, together with an exhibition on the historical relationship between water and the city, and the historical legacy of this green infrastructure, which dates back to medieval times.

The initiative is in line with the municipal goal of decentralising the city’s tourist offer, thanks to the creation of new attractions that prioritise sustainability and the renaturalisation of spaces, in this case, within the Besòs area. Furthermore, it will be a new tourist offer of interest not only for visitors but also for residents, which will present a unique narrative and design around water. The new route will also facilitate access to Barcelona from the Vallès area.

The €2.9 million have been received as part of the Sustainable Tourism Plan for Destinations, funded by European Union (EU) Next Generation funds, and Barcelona City Council will transfer them to the Besòs Consortium for its implementation. Specifically, €2.54 million will be used to adapt the route alongside the Rec Comtal, while the remaining €380,000 will be used to transform the area into a biodiversity refuge.

The objective of the initiative is to create a route that follows the Rec Comtal, skirting the Ponderosa plain to the Besòs Drinking Water Treatment Plant (DWTP), before continuing to the Casa de l’Aigua in Trinitat Vella. From this point, the path could subsequently be connected to Avinguda Meridiana. This route will be suitable for both pedestrians and cyclists, leading to an increase in vegetation in the area. The initiative also includes a space with an exhibition on the historical relationship between water and the city, providing a comprehensive overview of its use over time. This exhibition will have both a physical and virtual space that will highlight the history of the Cases de l’Aigua (pumping stations) in the Trinitat Vella and Trinitat Nova neighbourhoods.

The project also aims to enhance biodiversity along the route of this green and blue infrastructure to complement the environmental services of the Besòs River. Therefore, not only does it involve assessing the ecological state of this irrigation canal but also improving and adapting the habitat through environmental restoration of the canal banks, reintroducing native aquatic species, and reforestation of areas with potential along the Rec.