Port accessA new leisure and recreational area has been opened to the public in Santurtzi, in the area of the fishing port. The new amenities have been built and financed by the Port Authority of Bilbao.
The project began in September 2023 and has taken nine months to complete. The Port of Bilbao has invested around 4 million euros in developing a 1.3 hectare area of land comprising port buildings, the adjacent car park and the land left vacant after the demolition of three buildings. As a result, the improvement works have affected five areas: the Plaza de La Sotera, the Port Authority access road, the Paseo de las Rederas, the area of the old demolished buildings and the itsasgunea (car park).
Karmele Tubilla, mayoress of Santurtzi, and Ricardo Barkala, President of the Port Authority of Bilbao, have inaugurated this new and improved space for the town and for the enjoyment of its residents. As the mayoress of Santurtzi explained, “this is just one of the seafront development projects planned for Santurtzi in the coming years. The upcoming refurbishment of the Lehendakari Aguirre riverside walk, the future Arts centre, and the new leisure area we are inaugurating here today with the Port Authority, are all going to help recover the essence of the original town of Santurtzi, and provide it with a spacious area close to the sea. An area for all the people of Santurtzi to enjoy and which meets the needs of the local residents, with new leisure, play and recreational areas and a large number of car parks. With these actions and those to come, we will take Santurtzi another step closer to the sea”.
Ricardo Barkala, President of the Port Authority, added that “this project is the result of a collaboration agreement between two neighbouring organisations, both of which look out onto the sea, and which are looking to combine a better quality of life for local people with the economic promotion of the area”. He also pointed out that in the last nine months, two important projects have been inaugurated in Santurtzi: in September last year, the new pedestrian walkway over the railway tracks, linking Avenida Murrieta with Paseo Reina Victoria Eugenia, and now, this new leisure area. “In both cases”, he stressed, “we have listened to what people have had to say, collaborating with the Town Council in taking the projects forward and looking to create a comfortable, practical, integrated, pleasant, welcoming and attractive leisure area”.
Improvements made to the five areas
The main entry point to the new leisure area and to the fishing port is the nearby Plaza de la Sotera, reaffirming its status as a grand square. The new square acts as a hub, binding together the adjacent spaces encompassing the pedestrian areas between the Paseo Reina Victoria, the access from the town centre via the level crossing and the rest of the fishing port.
The access road to the Port of Bilbao has been redesigned to avoid the existing junction with the level crossing, maintaining the continuity and section from Paseo Lehendakari Aguirre. The cycle lane, the two roads and the car park are therefore extended.
The works in the Paseo de las Rederas have converted an alley running behind the buildings, and which leads to the warehouses where fishing gear is stored, into an area where people can walk, where traditional fishing practices now coexist with the new leisure activities. To this end, the space has been pedestrianised, and retractable bollards have been put in place to ensure traffic in the area is restricted to fishermen’s vehicles.
Finally, the car park has been kept but refurbished and resurfaced. A central public car park has been built, equipped with approximately 104 parking spaces, which complements the 44 or so parking spaces next to the road leading to the Port of Bilbao. A total of 6 parking spaces will be reserved for people with reduced mobility.
Around 70 trees and 100 shrubs have been planted, as well as hundreds of other plant species. The street furniture includes 52 large garden boxes, 49 benches, 3 fountains and 18 litter bins.
