City Green Belt may have a science museum, planetarium

A planetarium, band stand, science museum and a bird sanctuary are just some of the suggestions which have been put forward for the Falca Verde, the city Green Belt whch will run along the Riera (Paseo Mallorca) to the Camino de Jesus. The city council has just presented a list of eight suggestions for the Ver Verd (See Green) project by Manuel Ribas Piera, which was the winning project in the competition for ideas for the city's new green zone. The list opens with an increase in gardens at the site by the cemetery occupied by the funfair every Easter. This suggestion also includes the possibility of moving the site of the fair. Another suggestion is for more sports facilities. The council's planning department and the College of Architects came up with the idea of the science museum, planetarium, band stand, bird sanctuary, bars, public services and a children's playground. According to councillor Rafel Vida, who heads the planning department, the suggestions have been made as a philosophy of what can be included and changed, and the team which will draw up final plans should adapt them to the project. A total of 22 projects were submitted for the competition, and three were selected, Ribas Piera's and Sa Riesse by Sólid Arquitecture SL and Debaser by Victoria Acebo. After debating the possibility of combining the best ideas in the three projects, it was decided to select one, and then make suggestions to be incorporated. Vidal said that the green belt would be built in various stages. The first stage will probably stretch from the greyhound track to the cemetery. One of the questions which has not been settled is whether or not the green belt should be fenced in. This problem also arose with the Stations Park in the Plaza España. The Falca Verda will cover an area of 300'000 square metres and the draft plan, which will be the basis for the final plan, must be presented before the end of January. The project will then be debated by the city council again. The College of Architects will set up an exhibition with all the projects entered for the competition at the end of December.