Nursery school children from the district of Gràcia have made a visit to the gardens of Park Güell, stimulating their senses through music, art and nature. During these three visits, the objective was to use the heritage setting, which is well-known to the children and near their schools, as an active part of their learning process. A group of musicians accompanied the children around the different parts of the Park, beginning in the “gruta dels carruatges” (carriage grotto), where they helped them awaken their senses through music. Continuing up the side of the dragon, the children enjoyed a dance show in the “Hipóstila” room, where they all joined in with the dancing. They also worked with the sense of smell, as they moved around the garden smelling the plants, and the sense of hearing, by listening to the birds. Lastly, in the picnic area, everyone took part in the dance of the bells. “Trencadís de Sons i Colors” (Mosaics of Sound and Colour) is a project that revolves around the art and architecture of Park Güell in which the nursery schools of the district of Gràcia take part. The activity is part of a series of ventures aimed at giving the neighbourhood’s residents and schools the chance to find out more about the Park. In this way, Park Güell’s links with the neighbourhood become closer and it is more appreciated within its cultural surroundings.

The festival is held on 9 and 10 June in aid of the hospital clowns charity "Pallapupas"

Next weekend, 9 and 10 June, the festival "Un dia de Nassos” (A Day of Noses), organised in partnership with "Pallapupas", will be held at Barcelona Zoo and Tibidabo Amusement Park. It is a charity event where everyone from the youngest children to adults can enjoy a day full of laughter and surprises, while at the same time learning about the importance of humour as a means of improving the emotional state of children in hospital and their families. Half-price charity tickets can be purchased in advance, exclusively via the Pallapupas website. Part of the proceeds will go towards this organisation.
 
About Pallapupas Pallapupas is a non-profit organisation, run by professional actors and actresses and formed in the year 2000, which helps patients and their families to do something positive by means of humour and drama, in order to improve their mood and help their personal development during their illness. The work of Pallapupas has reached some 40,000 people in Catalonia: children who are in hospital, adults diagnosed with cancer, elderly people and people diagnosed with various types of mental disorder. It also helps the relatives of the patients to get through the illness and assists nursing and medical staff with facilitating their care work in 12 hospitals around Catalonia. 8th Simfònic Festival at Tibidabo Amusement Park On 9 June, Tibidabo Amusement Park will also be part of the 8th “Simfònic” Festival. The Plaça dels Somnis will host one of 100 concerts being held simultaneously at iconic venues in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. More than 5,000 students are taking part, and once again this year, students from the Trèmolo music and performing arts school will perform in the park. The children's school concert will take place at 12.00 midday, the youth school performs at 2.00 pm, and the adult school rounds off the day at 4.00 pm.

The newly-built website is more user-friendly with a fresh, up-to-date look which fits on all devices

The new website for AREA, Barcelona’s regulated parking system, is now online with a fresh look which is much clearer, easier to browse and more user-friendly. One of the main new features is the search facility on the home page, which allows users to look for the address where they want to park on an interactive map, to check what type of parking zones are in the area, as well as the exact location of the parking meters and all residents’ parking zones. The website fits on all devices (computers, mobiles and tablets), with new features allowing the user to access information more quickly and efficiently. To improve the service provided to the public, new tabs have been introduced with information about the day’s weather, air quality (with specific notifications in cases where an atmospheric pollution warning has been issued) and real-time access information via the Barcelona Mobility Twitter profile. The procedures section has also been redesigned, giving more direct and fuller access to all procedures related to regulated parking, such as applying for the AREA card and copies, registering a change of residence zone or cancelling fines, and so on. More information at http://barcelona.cat/AREAestacionament

 

Last year, around 85,000 euros were earmarked for the implementation of 12 different projects

Barcelona Zoo Foundation has started the 2018 application process for grants for research and conservation projects. Through these grants, the Foundation helps promote projects that share its values of conservation, education, awareness-raising, protection and preservation of wildlife and biodiversity. Last year, 84,398 euros were allocated across three available grants: the Floquet de Neu grant, the Antoni Jonch grant and the PRIC grants.
 
This year marks the 14th edition of the Floquet de Nou grant, which is available for the best primate research projects. As specified in the terms and conditions, projects must align with key areas of interest - including conservation, genetics, reproduction, communication and animal welfare. The annual amount of the grant is €9000. Last year, the winning project was entitled "The study and conservation of savanna chimpanzees of the Camoé National Park (Ivory Coast)" and run by Juan M. Lapuente of the University of Würzburg (Germany). Barcelona Zoological Park’s Research and Conservation Programme (“PRIC” in its Catalan acronym) grants are being offered for the tenth time and offer financial support to projects which, in accordance with the terms and conditions, are aligned with the main areas of research that the Foundation aims to promote. The Foundation will generally provide one third (33%) of the total annual budget for projects that are presented and approved. In 2018, nine PRIC grants were awarded for 19 applications received, to a total of €69,398. Lastly, the Foundation also offers the opportunity of being awarded the Antoni Jonch grant - in memory of the Zoo’s Director from 1956 to 1987. This is the sixth time this grant has been awarded and, as explained under the terms and conditions, is aimed at research projects into native fauna. The €6000 annual grant, which last year was awarded to the two first-place projects: "Environmental requirements for the European polecat (Mustela putorius) to recover in Catalonia" by Salvador Salvador from the University of Girona, and “Study into the ecology of the pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) in the Girona province: characteristics of its habitat, research into the environmental requirements and location of recruitment areas" by Miquel Àngel Fuentes of the University of Girona. Applications and project details need to be emailed in PDF format to the Barcelona Zoo Foundation: fundaciobarcelonazoo@bsmsa.cat. The deadline for applications is 3 June 2018. For more information about these grants, please visit www.fundaciobarcelonazoo.cat

The Awards jury have noted the enclosure’s blending together of architecture and landscape, whilst also ensuring the highest levels of animal welfare

The orangutan enclosure at Barcelona Zoo was designed by Joan Forgas Coll and Dolors Ylla-Català, and has been nominated for the prestigious FAD Architecture Awards, within the "City and Landscape" category. The jury appreciated that the enclosure incorporates everything necessary to ensure that "the animals are kept in optimal living conditions, whilst enabling their habits to be observed”. The result "is a blend of architecture and landscaping that is both durable and comfortable both for its inhabitants and visitors”. The design of the enclosure adhered to criteria to ensure the highest levels of welfare for the animals and maximum flexibility in how the space is used. The total 1100 m2 floor space is divided into four main areas - two outdoors and two indoors - which means that the orangutans can be observed throughout the year regardless of the weather from five semi-covered viewing points.
 
The outdoor areas are designed to be totally natural, with a vegetation barrier that delimits the area and recreates a natural riverbank, made using artificial stone and natural rocks. A main 4-metre-high waterfall and a gentle waterfall keep the area fresh. Features that improve the enclosure have also been included - such as rope trunks and wooden platforms that enable the orangutans to recreate their behaviour in the wild. Also, for the first time, thick iron bars have been installed that provide a swaying motion similar to that of tree branches, and enable the orangutans to move up to the higher areas of the enclosure. The orangutan - in critical danger of extinction The Borneo orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) at the zoo are native to that island in Southeast Asia. They are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species in their natural environment. Today, there are just a few scattered and much-reduced populations left on Borneo and they are under threat from the intense felling of trees, poaching and the sale of youngsters on the black market. Barcelona Zoo plays a leading part in the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for orangutans run by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. The Zoo is also a member of the Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP).
 

With capacity for 398 vehicles, including seven electric charging points and 10 spaces for people with reduced mobility as well as 102 motorcycle bays, of which eight are for electric motorcycles

On 23 May the B:SM underground car park at Sant Antoni Market at 1 Carrer d'Urgell will be operational. The floors designated for customer use are levels -2 and -4 across a usable floor area of 14,239.15 m2, with capacity for 398 cars, including 10 spaces for people with reduced mobility and seven spaces for electric vehicles, as well as 102 motorcycle bays of which eight are for electric motorcycles. Levels -1 and -3 are designated for market services and a loading/unloading area, respectively. The aim is to achieve efficiency and coordination between the different uses and purposes of the whole site consisting of the market itself and the car park - which is primarily to serve market staff, stallholders and customers as well as local residents. The services already available at the B:SM car park under the new Sant Antoni Market are: pedestrian access, access for people with reduced mobility, access for registered users of number-plate identification, card payments, recharging points for electric vehicles and the 24-hour security system.
 
The B:SM car park at Sant Antoni Market is municipal-owned and is operated by Barcelona de Serveis Municipals by agreement with the Municipal Markets Institute (Institut Municipal de Mercats), and is added to the portfolio of car parks that B:SM already operates at other municipal markets - including those at Sagrada Familia, Boqueria, Guinardó and Encants; it is number 44 within the B:SM Car Park Network. Features and innovations at the Sant Antoni Market B:SM Car Park. In line with B:SM’s commitment to sustainability, the new car park uses uniform LED lighting that provides the most optimal and reliable visual conditions both for parking and walking safely. LED lighting saves energy and helps reduce the operating and maintenance costs of this new facility. The design is based on the new concept for the image that B:SM is aiming at the general public and customers - based on the use of white as a base colour, which contributes to increasing levels of light within the car park and which reduces sound impact. The colours green (level -2) and red (level -4) are used to emphasise consistently the location, the innovative design based on algae that demarcates the parking spaces, and serve to remind users that they are in the city of Barcelona on the Mediterranean. The car park includes an information system that provides users with information about available spaces. This aims to improve flow within the car park by offering users the information they need to park their vehicles quickly and efficiently. This in turn helps reduce vehicle emissions and the time needed to park. Season tickets and special opening promotion Local residents, Sant Antoni Market stallholders and general users will have the option of either short-term parking or season tickets which have been devised by B:SM to meet the varying needs of a dynamic area such as Sant Antoni: Full 24-hour, day-time and night-time. In addition, to celebrate the opening of Sant Antoni Market, a special promotion is in place for those taking out Full 24-hour, Full Local 24-hour and Daily 9.30 season tickets.
For more information, please visit the B:SM car park website

It marks the start of the digitalisation process for these types of procedures

The new B:SM electronic headquarters is now operative, from where all of B:SM’s tender processes will now be handled. The activation of this electronic headquarters, on which the first tenders have already been posted, marks the start of the digitalisation process for these types of procedures. Thus B:SM aligns with one of the Barcelona City Council’s strategic core areas for sustainable procurement, contributing to saving paper and environmental friendliness. Further, via the electronic headquarters the procedure will be simplified for bidders, allowing them to lower their costs and access the procedure more easily.
On another note, the Tibidabo electronic headquarters and Cementiris electronic headquarters are both also active, which shall soon start-up their own tender processes.  

The repainting of Barcelona resident only parking spaces has started, and they are being changed from green to white, as well as adding the word ‘RESIDENTS’

On Monday the 30th, a process will be started to repaint all AREA Barcelona resident only parking spaces. From here on out, these spaces will have an exclusive design, will be white instead of green and will have the word ‘RESIDENTS’ inscribed on them, also in white. The change in colour does not involve any change to the usage rights of the spaces, which shall remain the same, and there will not be any change to the number of spaces available. This new design for resident only parking spaces has been developed in response to different suggestions from citizens and AREA users. Its purpose is to make identifying the space more understandable, to therefore avoid confusion with green spaces, which do allow parking of outside vehicles (non-resident) during regulated hours. The repainting is planned for these dates:

Gràcia old town    30/04 – 09/05
Sarrià old town    10/05
Camp de l’Arpa del Clot    11/05 – 17/05
Ciutat Vella    17/05 – 24/05
Barceloneta    25/05 – 06/06

Districts with resident only parking spaces Resident only areas are spaces in which only neighbours can park their vehicles. At present, there are resident only spaces in the Ciutat Vella district, in the old towns of Gràcia and Sarrià, in Camp de l’Arpa and—more recently—those added along with the new design of El Carmel Zone 25.
Of these areas, resident only spaces in the neighbourhoods of Barceloneta and El Born (a district in Ciutat Vella) are exclusively for residents 24 hours a day, while the rest of the resident only spaces are from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm.
 

The winning drawings will be published as bookmarks and distributed to Park visitors during the weekend of Sant Jordi

Park Güell held its first bookmark contest entitled ‘Sant Jordi and the Park Güell Dragon’ open to primary school students in the five surrounding schools (Baldiri Reixac, Reina Elisenda Virolai, Turó del Cargol, Montseny and Jesuïtes de Gràcia) A total of 662 students participated, presenting over 534 projects. The contest was divided into three categories, depending on students’ ages. The first prize winner for years 1 and 2 is from Baldiri i Reixac School and participated using the alias Fox Star; the first prize for years 3 and 4 was taken by the student behind the alias Ardilla (Squirrel) from Turó del Cargol School, and the years 5 and 6 winner was from Reina Elisenda Virolai School, and participated under the moniker Chewie.
 
The winning drawings will be published as bookmarks and distributed to Park employees, students at the participating schools and everyone who visits Park Güell during the weekend of Sant Jordi. The objective of this action is to encourage creativity and reading among students in nearby schools. It is one of a series of activities whose purpose is to encourage local neighbours and schools to learn more about the Park. It will also help increase ties with the neighbourhood and will spotlight Park Güell in its own cultural environment.

During April a special promotion is underway at the car parks of Plaza Bonanova-Tramvia Blau, Torrent-Park Güell and Travessera de Dalt

The B:SM car park network has started up a promotional campaign to increase motorbike and scooter parking at municipal underground car parks. This will ensure that motorbike drivers have safe and supervised facilities where they can park. And in order to provide incentives for using motorbike and scooter reserved spaces in underground car parks, it has started up promotions and special rates for each area where a large density of surface motorbikes has been detected. Starting on 16 April, citizens who want to park their scooters and motorbikes in the car parks at Plaza Bonanova-Tramvia Blau, Torrent-Park Güell and Travessera de Dalt will be free for short term parking and, after 30 April 2018, the short-term parking fee will be €0.40 per hour. Users who want to park their motorbikes and scooters in the Cotxeres car park in Sarrià-Ronda del Mig shall enjoy the same conditions, with free parking between 21 May and 4 June and, after that period, a rate of €0.40 per hour. A new special rate called ‘Daily 9.30 Moto’ has also been implemented, which lets drivers park for nine and a half hours with unlimited entries and exits, and a 50% discount for short term parking in the whole B:SM car park network. The first month is free, and there is a minimum duration of two months. More information at www.aparcamentbsm.cat.