Madrid Rio Park Unveiled Following Renovation

Madrid Rio Park Unveiled Following Renovation

Madrilenians and visitors made sure not to miss out on the first weekend of Madrid Río which brings numerous options for leisure, culture and sport to Madrid. Thousands of people flocked to the park and, thus, the project which has completely revamped the city’s appearance was inaugurated by its own citizens.

Its highlights include the lighting of the city beach, the fountains in the Arganzuela Park and the Puente Monumental de Arganzuela bridge, designed by Dominique Perrault. The bridge thus joins the Puente del Rey, Segovia and Toledo bridges, which already have their own lighting, in what will undoubtedly become a favorite route for a walk in the city at night. All the pending green spaces have been opened, including the Arganzuela and Matadero parks and the new reforested area at the southern junction.

The bridges and walkways which were closed or had restricted access have now been opened, such as the Invernadero bridge, and the walkways from Legazpi to the end of Avenida del Manzanares and from this avenue to the south part of Linear Park of the Manzanares River. The project has made a total area of 1,210,881 square meters of parkland available to the city’s residents, with 33 areas for different sports totaling 40,771 square meters. There are 17 children’s playgrounds and three fitness areas for adults. The banks of the river are linked by 33 walkways in seven different districts of the city.

Madrid Río is part of a new city model that is more balanced and sustainable, improving the quality of life for Madrid’s citizens. The project provides the city with a large linear park reaching from El Pardo, in the North East, to Getafe, a municipality located in the South of Madrid, including the creation of a beach by the cultural complex Matadero.

This plan is the result of an urban planning strategy based on three coordinated projects: project Calle 30, which made possible the tunneling of a large portion of an old and unsafe ring road which divided the city; project Madrid Río, designed to recover the spaces freed of traffic; and the Urban Development Plan for the area along the Manzanares River, renovating the surrounding buildings.

Madrid Río focuses on five pillars: the recuperation of the river, the Salón de Pinos (Pine Hall), the expansion and creation of green areas, a zone for sports and leisure and the urban development of the area. The mayor sees the project as a major urban regeneration operation “in a space that will become a first class tourist attraction, a viewpoint onto the monumental cornice, a meeting point, a place for walks, leisure, sports and culture, and also an engine for financial activity and employment. We expect this public initiative to boost the private initiative, which we hope will get seriously involved in this area of Madrid.”

A map is now available with information about this green area, access routes, the location of sports and cultural facilities, viewpoints, parks, gardens and all the other features of Madrid Río. The map is available from the Madrid Tourist Board’s information points, and in situ from an information center on the Puente del Rey bridge.