A long view of a Girona full of life

GironaFar from a dull, drab city, Girona has gained life and dynamism over the years, understanding itself as a space for shared living, learning, and wealth generation in the broadest sense of the term. We've grown from 60,000 to 110,000 inhabitants in just over 40 years, which brings with it both challenges and opportunities. From the city government, we've faced this future by working with three very clear objectives: 1) that all policy focuses on improving people's lives; 2) that Girona preserves its identity; and 3) that the future city is increasingly connected to its natural environment and its urban area.

And how do we achieve this?

Because we love Girona, we must bring it up to date while maintaining the identity that has made it unique: its heritage, its language, and its sense of belonging to the capital of our country. The mid-sized city where you can get everywhere on foot and by bicycle, cohesion, and a shared project. Doing so today is undoubtedly more difficult, in the prevailing context of globalization and individualism. But it's not impossible. Education and culture, with the promotion of a strong associative network, must allow us to build this Girona full of life.

Now, Girona's future project must be built, unquestionably, through improved quality of life: with more and better services and facilities, which provide greater well-being and also greater security for people. Along this path, access to affordable housing is a key element, which is why we have deployed the Mission Housing strategy. We have regulated tourist apartments, 100 affordable homes are being built, and we plan up to 800. Likewise, we pressure the State and the Generalitat (Catalan Government) every day to mobilize their empty apartments.

In the coming years, the people of Girona will also see improvements with a direct impact on their lives through new facilities. We plan around twenty that will soon become reality and will have neighborhood, social, cultural, social-health, and sports uses. From the roofing of the Fontajau track to the opening of the Casa de la Tecnología (Technology Center). From the inauguration of the Can Burrassó police station to the new retractable stands at La Mercè. And if we're talking about services, we must undoubtedly mention the challenge of waste, which as a government we're working hard to improve.

At the same time, Girona must stop looking within its walls, as it did at the beginning of the 20th century. This means working today at the urban level, as we are doing with the project to extend the Girocleta to Salt, promoting increased bus service frequencies, and extending bicycle connectivity to neighboring municipalities. After completing and improving the bike lanes in Vilablareix, Sant Gregori, Sarrià de Ter, and Campdorà (which the Generalitat (Catalan government) still plans to connect to Celrà), we are now planning two more connections to Salt.

This long-term, in-depth analysis must also serve to revitalize neighborhoods. Here are three comprehensive and high-impact proposals. Girona's new central areas must be built starting with Can Gibert, with the arrival of the Health Campus; Puente Mayor, starting with the Pla de Barris; and Girona Este, starting with the Comprehensive Plan. And, without a doubt, Barcelona Street, the city's major pending reform, which must be transformed into a paradigm of the friendly city we imagine and which must cease to be a highway and become an avenue. Girona, now, must be the city of neighborhoods that generously exercises the role of capital of the urban area.

This is the lively Girona we imagine and project.