It will be possible to walk from the sea to El Limonero. S. SALAS

Five kilometres of paths beside the Guadalmedina

The regional government and Malaga city council signed the agreement for the river park earlier this week and explained what the project will involve

JESÚS HINOJOSA

MALAGA.

Friday, 21 January 2022, 14:08

Five kilometres of paths and green zones for pedestrians and cyclists beside the Guadalmedina river, from the Armiñán bridge to the area of the Limonero dam: this is part of the project for the northern end of the river which was presented by the Junta de Andalucía's Ministry of Agriculture, Farming, Fishing and Sustainable Development earlier this week.

Computerised image of the future river park. SALVADOR SALAS

As well as creating these paths and planting trees to provide shade, the plan includes work to reduce the amount of water which flows into the river from streams, so the project can be carried out.

There will not be a path specifically for cyclists, as there is already one which runs parallel as far as Ciudad Jardín, but cyclists will be able to use the same one as the pedestrians.

Unlike other projects which have to be put to tender, the Junta has directly contracted the Tragsa company to carry out both parts of this one with a total budget of seven million euros. In fact, the first phase has already begun, at a cost of 2.6 million euros and an expected completion time of 20 months.

Malaga council will be investing nearly two million euros in the lighting, irrigation and the construction of a pedestrian bridge over the Arroyo Pasetelero at the northern end of the riverbed, to connect the path on the eastern side of the river with La Concepción botanical garden.

At the presentation, the regional government's Minister of Agriculture, Carmen Crespo, described this as a futuristic project and says it has been given the name 'Guadalmedina, water and life'. "People in Malaga will be able to walk from the sea to El Limonero," she explained, and there will be 5,200 new trees and shrubs along the way.

The Junta is carrying out this project but Malaga council will be responsible for maintaining the river park, which it estimates will cost around 300,000 euros a year.