San Javier unveils new eco-friendly park to combat summer heat
The Santiago de la Ribera park will eliminate ‘heat islands’ and reduce temperatures by up to 8ºC
San Javier is playing its part in the fight against climate change with the creation of a brand new park in Santiago de la Ribera, designed to tackle rising temperatures and provide a comfortable refuge during the hotter months.
Located next to Calle Isla de Alborán, near El Mirador Avenue, the park is set to be completed by early March and is part of the PIMA Climate Change Plan, an initiative aimed at adapting towns and cities to the effects of global warming.
Spanning nearly 8,000 square metres, the park is specifically designed to eliminate ‘heat islands’, which are urban areas that trap heat due to human activity and a lack of vegetation.The new park, which occupies 7,979 m2, will lower the temperature of the area by between 2 and 8ºC on the hottest days, while the 420 trees and shrubs that will be planted will contribute to the absorption of 1,050 kilos of CO2 per year.
The project has been backed by an investment of 140,000 euros, including an 80,000-euro subsidy from the PIMA plan, under the Ministry of Water, Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Environment and Emergencies.
The park will feature a spacious plaza, a multi-sport court and a petanque area, all built with drainage-friendly materials to prevent water logging. Two rain gardens with drainage ditches, a 3-metre-high water absorption well, new gutters and additional drains will help collect and redirect rainwater effectively.
Beyond its environmental benefits, the park will serve as a comfortable recreational space for residents and visitors. The design includes solar-powered beacons for eco-friendly lighting, benches, bio-healthy gym equipment, goals for the sports court, children’s play areas and picnic tables, creating a welcoming space for families.San Javier Mayor José Miguel Luengo highlighted the broader significance of this project, linking it to ongoing efforts by the Council to combat flooding and improve sustainability throughout the municipality.
“This park is much more than a park,” said the mayor, who highlighted its transformation into “a friendly space for residents, with a commitment to biodiversity that acts as an environmental lung in the area, but which is also a sustainable space that manages the reuse of rainwater and the reduction of its negative impact by dragging it into the Mar Menor, in addition to contributing to lowering the temperature in the area on the hottest days.”
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Images: Ayuntamiento de San Javier
Address
Calle Padre Juan. Centro Cultural Principe de Asturias 30720 SAN JAVIERTel: 968 571 704
Oficina de Turismo de San Javier
The municipality of San Javier has three main offices giving tourist information to visitors, as well as two information points. The tourist offices are located in Santiago de la Ribera, on the ground floor of the town hall in San Javier and at the start of La Manga. There is also a summer tourist information point located on the seafront in Santiago de la Ribera as well as one at kilometre 12-13 of La Manga del Mar Menor next to Playa Mistral.
Due to its location on the fringes of the Mar Menor and Mediterranean, San Javier has a period of intense summer tourism activity during the peak summer months, although it is popular with retirees of all nationalities out of peak season.
Tickets for the annual San Javier Jazz Festival can be purchased at the Festival office in San Javier Town Hall, Plaza de España.
Timetables summer 2024:
Tourist office Santiago de la Ribera (Calle Padre Juan 30720, Santiago de la Ribera)
Weekdays 9.00 to 14.00 and 18.00 to 21.00
Weekends and public holidays 10.00 to 13.00
Telephone: 661 572285
Email: turismo@sanjavier.es
La Manga del Mar Menor (Gran Vía Km. 0 30380, La Manga del Mar Menor):
May 1 to September 30:
Weekdays 10.00 to 14.00 and 17.00 to 19.00
Weekends and public holidays 10.30 to 13.00
Telephone 968 128955 ext. 2
Tourist information point of San Javier (Plaza de España, 30730 San Javier):
Weekdays 9.00 to 14.00
968 573 700 ext #5351
Email: concejaliadeturismo@sanjavier.es
Tourist information point of Santiago de la Ribera (Paseo Colón on the seafront)
Weekdays 9.00 to 14.00 and 18.00 to 21.00
Weekends and public holidays 10.00 to 13.00
Tourist information point of La Manga del Mar Menor (Playa Mistral, km 12)
Weekdays 11.00 to 18.00
Weekends and public holidays 11.00 to 14.00
