Barcelona

Communication and social vitality

The Communication Plan provides the context for all communication defined in the Beach Action Programme (PrAP), building a narrative adapted to each of its challenges and setting out a series of specific measures to carry out in the next few years. The PrAP is the planning tool of the Beaches Directorate, which sets out the priority measures to be carried out relating to the beaches during every term of office, agreed consensually with the different municipal stakeholders involved in managing these spaces. 

Social vitality measures at the Fòrum bathing area start with the goal of generating a good atmosphere there, fostering respect between users and promoting the space for tourism purposes. It follows the good results achieved in 2022, when a pilot project included a series of social and cultural activities which nearly a thousand people took part in. Given the positive results achieved at that time, and to provide continuity for the experience, new measures are now being promoted through the funding that must also introduce the space to people and promote its natural values, particularly in terms of marine biodiversity.

The range of activities, aimed at everybody and all age groups, is based on a social and educational function, as well as social inclusion and community work, as it also takes the gender perspective into account in its programme, without overlooking respect for the surroundings and environmental quality.

Improvements in physical spaces and their surroundings

The project to design new walkway solutions for autonomous access aims to explore infrastructure solutions enabling people with mobility problems (but who do not require the assisted bathing service) to be able to access the water, bathe and get out of the water without human assistance, through safe and accessible structures that can be dismantled and which have been designed taking into account the dynamics of the coastal space.

The beaches have an essential role in protecting the city’s infrastructure. Maintaining them in optimum condition allows them to hold up better in the face of storms and the effects of climate change. A service has been contracted within the framework of the European funding to redistribute sand and to stabilise, level and shape the beaches, including the hire of heavy machinery with operators. Sand generated by the Districlima works is currently being redistributed at the Llevant and Mar Bella beaches, with the Port of Barcelona also to get support in the form of sand generated by work at the Mercat del Peix (old fish market).

Work at the Fòrum bathing area will be carried out in 2025 to improve and adapt the urban development and infrastructures. This work will consist of a general revamp of the infrastructure to improve safety and maintenance. Work will also be carried out at the Illa Pangea to make it more natural and foster the presence and nesting of sea birds.

Finally, as part of the one-off amendment to the special plan for the new entrance at the Port of Barcelona, work is in progress to condition a space on the ground floor of the Hotel W for administrative uses by the Beaches Directorate and Barcelona Cicle de l’Aigua.