With the centenary of the 1929 Universal Exposition on the horizon, the PSC wants to take advantage of the event to promote an update of the Montjuïc fairgrounds in the six years remaining until then. The objective is to carry out a modernization of the central palaces so that they adapt to the needs of the 21st century, further exploiting the possibilities derived from having a fair in the middle of the urban fabric, a potential that very few cities have and that they can take advantage of. especially all those events that have an aspect aimed at the general public.
The project is part of what the socialist candidate Jaume Collboni defines as “the third great transformation of Montjuïc” since it goes far beyond the changes in the fairgrounds. The proposal, launched at a press conference at the Efe agency, seeks to “create a new cultural, sports and economic centrality” and includes the collapse of one of the unused palaces to build some 500 public homes and the transformation of another to house activity economical, making room for small companies, preferably related to one of the shows organized by Fira de Barcelona.
The Reina Victòria pavilion will be ceded to the MNAC for its expansion and the Italian pavilion, for its part, will become a local sports facility, responding to requests from residents. The City Council and Fira reached an agreement last year and in the penultimate plenary session of the mandate the modification of the General Metropolitan Plan (PGM) was provisionally approved. It also includes a greater role for pedestrians on Avenida Maria Cristina, which will be reformed.
Within the framework of this third great transformation of Montjuïc, Collboni also proposes to remodel the Palau Sant Jordi to update it technologically and improve aspects such as sound systems. In addition, as has been discussed during his last term, he wants to promote the reform of the Palau d’Esports on Lleida street to make it a benchmark for e-sports and e-games. Until a few months ago, the first deputy mayor of the municipal government already took steps in this direction with the creation of an incubator for start-ups related to sports and technology that is about to come into service in a disused space within the Olympic Stadium.
